Helping Draco
by Battler Rune
Summary: She left him behind to wallow in his guilt. Now, she's back and will go to any lengths to help him recover. Will the hatred become a distant memory? Find out in Helping Draco!
1. First Sight

**Chapter 1: First Sight**

**First timer; please be gentle. This chapter is dedicated to sugarquills007 for writing amazing stories and being so encouraging and vihagupta95 for helping too****. Thank you guys! Enjoy and RnR pls.**

"Harry!" She yelled and rushed to his side. He had just arrived on the scene and watched, from afar, his head cocked to a side as she rushed toward Potter, her long brown hair tossed about behind her. She looked alright- her skirt an inch too long, a pullover a size to big but her frame was small enough: there was something worth looking. She rushed into Harry's open arms and he heard and audible 'oomph' followed by a muffled apology. He let a small smile grace his feature. Then, running a hand through his hair, he walked toward Harry.

"Alright there, Potter?" He asked.

"Never better" Harry grinned back at the confused man. She pulled out of Harry's arms and turned around. He stiffened. There standing in front of him was his ex-mortal enemy; the first girl to punch him; the first mudblood who hurt him; the brains of the Golden Trio; the only one he never apologized to: Hermione Granger. She studied him while, he her. And in that moment he saw how she had changed without changing at all. Her hair of course was longer; less bushy and curlier… her eyes still deep chocolate brown, her complexion had remained peachy while she had grown up. How had he known so much about her? He's observed her of course. When the manor had echoed of a high-pitched screams, he had stared at her, rooted to the spot with terror; fear; shock. He had meant it when he had called her a mudblood but that was just petty name-calling, harmless jeering -It had kept father happy and provided cheap entertainment- it was something about Gryffindor reactions. But the physical hurt- he had never imagined nor thought of. It was terrifying to watch someone his own age under the cruciatus curse- it broke his idea of superiority and he had fought on the "right" side. He had befriended Potter and Weasley and other Order members but Granger- she had disappeared, leaving him in a state of guilt. No one told him where she was and he'd only just managed to hear was something about her parents. So he waited.

"Granger" He acknowledged her, nodding.

"Malfoy" She replied equally emotionlessly. His features softened and guilt racked across his face.

"I'm sorry Granger." he said softly. The phrase contained every single emotion he had felt: his remorse most prominent. She blanched. "And Granger, Welcome back". With that he turned on his heel and left her and her best friend in the empty corridor of St. Mungo's.

Hermione turned to Harry. "Did he just apologise to me?"

"I told you. He is the good guy Hermione. Give him a chance, please?"

"Alright alright, I will. I might've been a little immature. I'll be nice."

"Alright **Healer** Granger, I'll be on my way now. I've got a work to do."

"Harry!" she laughed, whacking him on his arm.

"Hey! Hey! If you want me to be your first patient you got to ask Hermione. No need to get violent!" He exclaimed backing away from her as she giggled at him, shaking her head. He smiled genuinely and said "He's right Hermione, Welcome back" and then, he disapparated.

"It's good to be back, Harry. It's good to be back." She said softly.

-0-


	2. Fall

**Chapter 2: Fall**

**Sorry about the million updates you might've got- I kept messing the upload up. Thanks so much everyone, the response was amazing given the story had been uploaded only for a few hours. I am grateful to vihagupta95 for the help. And Please RnR cause I need to know what you think :). xox**

"Mr. Fabien?" She knocked on the Healer's door.  
>"Aah, Ms Granger. Come in. Come in. This hospital is most privileged to have you."<p>

Hermione walked into the grand office- the floor was lined with an expensive rug and the crystal chandelier reflected patterns on the deep blue walls. They were bare but the a ripple effect adorned it. In the centre of the room was placed, a long wooden desk embellished with the logo of St. Mungo's on the front behind which sat a man who had a familiar demeanor. Hermione smiled fondly at the senior healer of the magical hospital as she saw his eyes twinkle. That with his grey beard (although held no competition) reminded her of Dumbledore. She missed the ex-headmaster... 

"I'm the one whose privileged sir. Working here has always been a dream." She replied.

"Then we both have benefitted by this arrangement. When would you like to start work?" He questioned.

"Today, sir. Is it okay if I met the other healers?" 

"Not at all, you'll find Sarah outside of my office, she'll show you around. Good day to you Ms Granger."  
>"Good day to you too sir and thank you for this opportunity", she said closing the door where she found a young woman with blonde hair waiting for her.<br>"Sarah?" She asked receiving a curt nod as reply. Then, the woman started to lead the way around. Hermione fell into step behind her slowly drifting into deep thought as the hospital flashed past her. Suddenly, her mind found a mind of its own and directed her thoughts to her morning encounter with Draco Malfoy.

"Healer Malfoy.." She mumbled twisting the name around in her head.  
>"You said something?" asked the assistant breaking into Hermione's thoughts. A dazed Hermione stared back.<p>

"Ohh, uh no, actually thank you for the tour. You can go back to work. I'll find my way around the rest of the building. Thanks anyways." She said, desperate to get rid of her stiff tour guide.

"Very well", came a reply followed by a huff and the sound of stomping footsteps.

"Well, how rude!" Hermione exclaimed to the retreating back, turning her thoughts back to the blonde, "I wonder whether he will work with me?"

He had looked quite alright when she had last met him. He was over a feet taller to her, his blonde hair not nearly as slick as back in school. He'd matured, she could see it on his face but he was unreadable as ever. Just politer, or at least he was pretending to be.  
>Hermione found herself on the fourth floor- "Spell Damage" - a sign read. She trailed across the wall looking into the rooms wherever she could. The first two were shut. The third had a teapot man struggling to sit up while; from the fourth room she heard loud horrible noises that made her cringe. As she walked fourth, she saw that the door to the fifth room was ajar, she stood across the hall and tried to peak in with no avail. She slowly moved backward trying to find a perfect spot to look in.<p>

Suddenly, she stepped on a foot. Hermione squealed and jumped even further back, colliding with the person behind her, stumbling to the ground. A hand caught her around her waist and pulled her back. As she turned around she heard a voice.

"Watch it...Granger?" and then it trailed into nothingness. Her eyes flew upward meeting grey ones. She was, literally, in the arms of Draco Malfoy.

-0-


	3. The Healer Under 1

**Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Healer Under 1**

**Was excited enough to write and publish chapter 3 as well. Yes, this chapter has part two, maybe three, who knows. Like how the story is going so far? Have suggestions? RnR. That is my encouragement. Enjoy. xx**

They stood like that for what seemed like hours. Hermione was the first one to come to her senses and squirmed under Draco's hold. He almost dropped her...almost.

"Granger, What are you doing?" He growled, raising an eyebrow as he removed his hand around from her waist, helping her stand on her own feet. She missed the warmth and frowned.

"I'm starting work today so I was wondering where to go." She replied crossing her arms.

"I'm sure it isn't in that room." he smirked, referring to her previous antics. She blushed furiously. "Anyway, you'll have to see the healer in-charge. He could be in his office, down the corridor."

Before she could march away, he added; "Where he isn't right now. If you want to know what to do, you could stand right here and ask him." Hermione whipped her head up and spluttered, unable to form a proper sentence.

"You're..you..healer in charge?" She shrieked.

"Want to say that louder? I think the occupants upstairs missed it. Don't sound so surprised- my grades at Hogwarts were brilliant if, not exceptional. Now, I wasn't told that YOU are the new healer and so the job I had in mind is now completely insufficient. Follow me; I might have something in my office that is at a higher level."

He started walk, deep in thought, his face as impassive as ever. Hermione, on the other hand, remained where she was, unaware as she deliberated the compliment Malfoy had managed to give her. Abruptly, she looked up and saw him at a distance and scrambled after him in the most undignified manner. If Malfoy had at that point turned around, she would have died of embarrassment.

The corridor was extremely long and unending, the walls bare white like in a usual hospital. Portraits of all the previous healers adorned the walls at regular intervals. Mostly all rooms were closed but occasionally, Hermione would see an open door, her curiosity almost always killed when she saw horrific sights of spell damage like when the man's skin was continuously boiling as if he was milk on a stove. His cries on anguish were heart-wrenching and she couldn't wait to start helping.

_'This is going to be your job Hermione. You're finally getting what you want' _she was telling herself when Malfoy stopped, causing her to promptly walk into him. He gave her a glare and opened the door to his office. She was speechless as she entered- the office was empty; almost bare. There wasn't a chandelier, like in the previous room, just a gloomy candle stand. The desk was plain although of a finer quality and paper was piled upon it sky-high.

_'What has happened to him?'_ She wondered. The Malfoy she knew; the extravagant, the show off, the expensive Malfoy was gone. Even his sharp tongue had been somewhat subdued. As Malfoy snatched up a pile of papers, examining them, she examined him once more. She noticed things she had failed to notice the last time. His skin was paler as compared to Hogwarts and he looked worn out with, dark circles under his eyes and his lips chapped and thin. His face was sunken, this cheek bones prominently sticking out- he wasn't eating well or hardly at all, she noted. The sparkle in his eyes was lost although they were mesmerizing albeit in a painful way. '_What are you doing to yourself Malfoy?'_ She sighed and as if he'd heard her, his head snapped up.

"Done admiring me?" He questioned, holding out a file for her. "That is one of the toughest cases I've got, Granger. We've worked hard and tried everything but nothing is working. A fresh perspective is, I think, what we need; someone new to see what we've missed. You're perfect because you'll understand. Go through the file carefully. Do it several times if needed. When you understand, come to me." Hermione nodded completely absorbed in what he was saying, her fingers were itching to open the file.

"Is there somewhere I can sit?" She asked. Draco gave her an incredulous stare. "What?" She defended.

"Your office, Granger?"

"I have an office?"

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. The action was attractive, she realised. "Go further down the corridor, you'll find a door that says Healer Under. That would be yours."

"Healer Under?"

"Yes, you're second in command, under me. Now, run along, I've got other work to do"

Not knowing what to say, she just nodded and left. Draco sighed, slumping into his chair. He yawned as he pulled another set of files to himself, wondering if the last link of the Golden Trio would ever forgive him.

-0-


	4. The Healer Under 2

**Chapter 4: The Healer Under 2**

Hermione made her way through the hall quickly, the file firmly in her hands. As she reached the end, a wooden door, labelled exactly like what Malfoy said, stood before her. Brimming with anticipation, she opened the door. A spacious room greeted her, with nothing but a table, chair and painting of its previous dead occupant. A tired candlestick floated about. She wasn't disheartened instead, excited about the numerous design possibilities for the office. The desk she noticed was not of the finer quality like Malfoy's but looked pretty much the same in design.

"This would do, for now. Thank Merlin, it isn't dirty." She told herself, plopping down upon the chair. A thud resonated in the room, as Hermione winced in pain. "Not comfy, not comfy at all." She muttered, vowing never to 'plop down' on it till, she had changed it. With difficulty, she stood up and reached her hand into the inner pockets of her jacket, extracting her wand. She waved her wand at the hard seat transfiguring it into a beautiful red sofa, and the table into a fancier one. Satisfied, she slowly sat down, taking it easy on her derriere. She pulled open the file eagerly and within the first few seconds she was lost among the papers.

Back at Draco's office, Malfoy was pulling the last file to him, when the door burst open. He jumped to his feet.

"He's not doing too well. Another seizure and it is coming fast. Heart rate has dropped considerably and his skin, it doesn't look to good" said the healer who had barged in seconds ago. Malfoy's eyes widened and he sprinted out of the room and across the hall, followed by the other healer. When he reached the specific door, he stopped and turned around.

"Healer Schmuk, I need you to get Healer Granger here immediately. She'll be in the Healer Under office. Come back with her as quickly as possible. And I'll see you later about that mark on the wall you've caused by banging the door open." Healer Shmuck was on the receiving end of a Malfoy glare. Cowering, the poor man sprinted back.

Putting his hand on the handle, Malfoy muttered, "Let's hope for our sake that you've finished reading the file, Granger". Then he pushed the door open.

Hermione jumped from her chair as someone barged in. The door slammed the wall and the bang resonated across the room.

"Healer Granger?" He yelled at a shocked Hermione. She only just managed to nod before he pulled her from her chair by her hand. "We need you!" He justified, beginning running while dragging her with him.

Draco put another gash across his patient's chest, trying to relieve him off the heat when he saw a panting Hermione being dragged in by Healer Shmuck. The least that could be said was that he wasn't happy.

"Shmuck!" he barked getting angrier when he saw the bruise marks on Granger's wrist, "What is the, meaning of this?"

The Healer, who had been so far beaming with pride for having got Hermione to the room in record time, was back to cowering under Draco's glare.

"What sir? He questioned, unsure of what his mistake was, this time. The other Healers ignored this charade- it was usual for them to watch their senior scold Shmuck- he somehow managed to mess up the simplest of tasks.

"I'm sure Healer Granger here is perfectly capable of walking here on her own. Why did you then…pull her here? You..!" Draco questioned flatly.

"Malfoy! Let the poor man be. He surely didn't mean to hurt me." She interrupted, rubbing her wrists. She gave Healer Shmuck an encouraging smile and he beamed back at her. "And I'm not the patient here." She added quietly, her gaze, suddenly, fixed on the man lying on the bed.

The patient was, frankly, the worst sight Hermione had seen which was saying something, given that she had been in the forefront of a war and been imprisoned in Voldemort's Headquarters, itself. The man's face was unrecognizable but familiar, she squinted trying to understand. Suddenly, she pulled back in shock, the colour draining from her face. She shook violently and her eyes filled with tears, she let a small shriek and began sobbing. Her cries echoed around the room and all the other healers looked panic stricken. Draco hinted at all the healers to clear out. They hastened outside, pushing- trying to get out first. When an audible click echoed from the entrance area, Malfoy turned to Granger.

Granger stood there, tears marring her beautiful face. Her head was buried into her hands and she swayed. Draco reached to her and encircled her tiny body by his arms. Hermione leaned back into his comforting hug. He stiffened at her gesture, unsure of what to do. He had only meant to help her stand...a hug was, well, inexplicably awkward and foreign to him.

She, on the contrary, was unaware of her partner's predicament and peeked around her finger. The skin appeared to be boiling as if on the stove. She cringed. He had stopped screaming, of course, because he had fainted due the extremity of the pain. The gashes on his chest were fresh and new, oozing of blood bubbling like lava. His body was twisted at odd angles, a few bones surely broken due to his writhing. His skin rippled once more and Hermione broke into fresh sobs as she watched her close friend- Seamus Finnegan suffer

**Thank you for reading. Please review. Pretty please?**


	5. What happened?

**Chapter 5: What happened?**

Hermione stirred. Her tears had dried out and she was almost asleep. She moved a little to get rid of the stiffness in her body, only to realise she was in close contact with other human. She jerked back in surprise, pushing Malfoy off her and almost face-first onto the ground. When he stood back up, she coloured bright red.

"This jumping a habit of yours?" He asked dryly, rubbing his injured hands as he had tried to break his fall. He had referred to the previous occasion in which she had almost knocked herself over.

"I didn't...mean...mean to" she stuttered, her voice still laced with grief and heavy with emotion. Malfoy's face lost all expression.

"Sorry." He said instead of jibing any further.

"That's why there was no name on the folder. You deliberately kept it out." She accused.

"I did. But it was for the good Granger. I didn't mean for you to be hurt. I was trying to break the news gradually. If we want to help him, you have to help us and that you could only do with a clear head. Without getting emotionally involved before you got to know the details."

She sighed in reply. "It's just that, I read the file and it was so harsh. I..." Her voice broke and she took a deep breath.

"Hey, hey...Granger, maybe, it wasn't such a good idea to get you here."

"No, I'll be fine. So what the file says is true?"

"Yeah, he got hit by sectumsepra."

"Then by fiendfyre?"

He nodded and a silence ensued.

"So there's an ashwinder egg inside of him? Then why hasn't he died or the egg hatched?"

"We don't know. We've tried everything; asked everyone but to no avail. It's like the answer is right before us but manages to elude us each time we try to grab it." Draco made a frustrated sound and ran his hands through his hair. Then he left, slamming the door behind him. He needs to rest she noted. She looked back at Seamus, his skin boiled but his heartbeat was stable, even his breathing was normal. She could hardly recognize him anymore.

"How are you living like this Seamus?" She whispered, stopping herself from touching him, just in time. Making sure, all the equipments were alright, she left as well.

That night, Hermione stood in front of a towering building that leaned sideways. Affectionately called the burrow, she had returned here years later and it looked shabbier than it had in years. However, it looked better than it had during the war. Sections of it had been rebuilt, whilst the greenery outside was still either young or burnt. She knocked on the front door and smiled as she heard a familiar shout from inside. The house was by no means quiet, the noise, was a little less than deafening.

The door was pulled open by a short, rather large, red-haired lady. "Oh Hermione!" Molly exclaimed and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Mrs Weasley, it's so great to see you."

"Nonsense dear, call me Molly. Come in." Molly hushed.

Celestia Warbeck let out a high pitched squeal from the radio in the background. Tears of joy sprung into Hermione's eyes as she looked around her second home.

For now, and after a very long time, Hermione felt warm, safe and happy.


	6. Home

**Chapter 6: Home**

**Sorry for the delay; one word for you- school. Enjoy xx**

Inside, the burrow's comfort brought her mind to peace after all that she had been through. The burrow was one place which even after years she could call home. And it welcomed her each time she visited. She glanced at the Weasley clock opposite the kitchen which indicated that all family members were at 'home', except for Mr. Weasley who was apparently still stuck at work. She remembered the time when all the hands of the clock were always at Mortal Peril. She shuddered.

"Sit down, dear. For heaven's sake, you must be exhausted. Can I get you some pumpkin juice?" asked Molly breaking into her thoughts.

"Oh no, thank you. I'll just be-", Hermione managed to say before being interrupted by Ron. He enveloped her into a tight hug...a very tight hug. At first, she was glad for the warmth. And held on with equal force but moments later she was struggling for air.

"sgheoidvkcllshdiiiajkd!" Her cries muffled by Ron's thick sweater.

"You said something Hermione?" Ron asked, still not letting go. He seemed to be happy standing like that, and had begun to sway a little as if putting a baby to sleep. Thankfully, at that moment Mrs. Weasley had returned. Whether she had left to give them privacy or to force pumpkin juice down Hermione's throat was still unclear as she held a glass in one hand. Fortunately she could tell her predicament.

"Ronald Weasley! Let go of that poor girl immediately."

Ron startled let go of Hermione as instructed.

"Ron, I was saying, I can't breathe." Hermione said as she panted, grinning as Ron looked at her sheepishly and scratched the back of his head like a lost boy. She was grateful for the pumpkin juice now, it quenched her sudden thirst. As soon as she put away the glass, Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs talking at lightning speed. She caught flashes.

"Harry. Ginny. My room" and gathered that the others were in Ron's room.

Downstairs, Molly was stunned at the speed at which her son left, dragging poor Hermione behind. He was so childish at times but she forgave him this once. Only she knew how much he had missed Hermione while she had been away. Hermione, in her opinion, looked a little haggard and weak; malnourished for sure. A few days with her and she would get her back to healthy. There was a certain haunted look about her eyes-an after effect of the war? Whatever it was, surely she'd tell Harry and her son. She, herself, would intervene only when it was absolutely necessary. As the clock's hand moved, breaking her out of her trance, it showed that her husband was travelling, so she started setting up dinner.

On the top floor of the Burrow, just below where the Weasley ghoul lived, in Ron's bedroom, Harry Potter was holding an emotional Ginny Weasley. It was surprising because Ginny rarely got emotional...it was an after-effect of growing up with six brothers. That is the scene Ron barged upon yelling on top his voice-

"Hermione is here!"

Hermione, best friends with both Harry and Ginny rushed in and began asking questions. She was panic stricken; she couldn't understand why Ginny would cry.

"Harry what did you do? Tell me! Why is she crying?" She asked hysterically.

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Ginny, love, what's wrong. You can tell me."

"I'm engaged." She beamed.

"Did he hurt you? Harry Pot-". She stopped, "WHAT?"

"We're engaged Hermione." Harry repeated smiling broadly. And before they could continue, Hermione began to sob.

"Hermione?"

"Hermione, hey what's wrong! Tell me! Look what you've done. If it your fault you..!" Ron yelled.

"Ronald, quiet! I'm fine. These are tears of happiness. Ohhhhh Ginny, Ginny! Harry! I'm so happy! Glad! Oh, I'm ecstatic!"

With that an exchange of hugs and oohs and aahs came into force. Between all the smiling, beaming and happiness, Hermione's smile faltered for a bit.

_"I can't tell them about Seamus...at least not yet."_

**-0-**

**R and R. Please ;;)**


	7. Love Again

When Mr Weasley arrived, and Mrs Weasley had laid out the last dish, Ginny and Harry came downstairs hand in hand. The remnants of the tears in Ginny's were still visible and because she and Harry were not big fans of public display of affection, Mrs Weasley knew immediately something had happened. She came running, yelling out for her husband as did.

"What is it? What happened?"She asked impatiently.

Harry and Ginny on the other hand kept silent, waiting for Arthur and the arrival of George to break the news. This was perhaps the longest twenty minutes of Molly's life and clearly she wasn't very patient. She ran here and ran there, and mumbled under her breathe and came up to them with strange assumption, she opened her mouth to speak and closed it, alnost like a fish. At one point she even ran up to Ginny and what she perceived to be a low voice, almost screamed at Ginny asking her whether she was pregnant. She was greeted with a stunned silence in which Ron choked on the cake he was gobbling down, Arthur dropped tea down his front, and Harry turned the colour of white marble. Hermione...she was only amused while the victim, Ginny turned from a light shade of red to a purple and then only managed to mutter furiously but in coherently. At this point, Mrs Weasley turned of her heels shaking her head and mumbling "I suppose not" returned to the kitchen to pace once more. Until Harry could take no more.

"Molly" he said.

"Can't be can't be. Oh I hope not!" Molly was busy conversing with herself, unaware of Harry's presence. She was chopping up onions...manually.

"Molly!" Harry shouted, finally managing to wake Molly Weasley from her trance.

"Harry! Dear lord what is it?"

He held her by her shoulders and in the calmest and most soothing tone asked her "do you think I'd hurt her?"

"Oh merlin's beard no! You're a lovely boy Harry and you've done more for my family than I anyone would do!"

"Our Family Molly. If you agree then can you please relax?"

"Yes, yes. Sorry about that" She pulled Harry into a motherly hug and Hermione knew that after all the pain life had put her bestfriend through, he was finally getting what he deserved. He couldn't get better. And she smiled. At that moment, George popped into the kitchen of the burrow, where the protecting enchantments had although stayed, been stretched a little to allow apparating of family members. He had Angelina on his hand, who apart from being his assistant had become part of the family within no time.

When the news had been broken, Molly had wept like a baby and Arthur Weasley, for the first time, had tears in his eyes. George, Angelina and Ron and Hermione celebrated by popping a champagne bottle. Where after few minutes Ron mysteriously disappeared for a while and came back all flushed and please with himself. When questioned, in apparated Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Percy, his wife Audrey, Andromeda, her husband and Teddy. That night the feast Mrs Weasley had made tasted even better than ever.


	8. My love?

**Chapter 8: My love?**

"Good morning, Miss Granger. I'm Howard and I'm Mr. Malfoy's newly appointed assistant. He told me to inform you that since you will be working closely with him, you are allowed to ask me for any services that you may require."

Hermione was surprised at Malfoy's generosity but she couldn't care less at the moment. She had barely slept owing to the celebration of Harry and Ginny's engagement and since she wasn't used to late nights- so, she could hardly keep her eyes open. She had been in the process of keeping herself awake by drinking her 6th cup of coffee and spraying jets of cold water on her face (using her wand of course, because she couldn't manage to go the toilet without falling face first over her uncoordinated, sleep deprived limbs).

"Alright Howard, I'll send for you if required. Thank you." She slurred in response, politely hinting for the man in front her to leave before she fell asleep on her desk and slobbered all over. She waited a few minutes but Howard didn't get the hint and stood there with expectant eyes. Had Hermione been awake, she would have noticed the awe in the young chap's eyes however since she wasn't; she just waved her hands at him to leave. This time he left… a little disappointed.

Hermione was in the middle of her dream, as usual dribbling over her mahogany desk, when Malfoy knocked on the door. Thrice.

"Granger, are you in there?" He yelled outside and irritated, he opened the room. He was greeted by a small girlish snore. He was stunned and stood at the door dumbstruck. He watched as Hermione was splayed across her writing table, her face hidden by her bushy hair.

"Hermione?" He whispered from where he was.

"Granger?" He moved closer. And spoke a little louder.

"Hermione!" this time he was almost on top of her; And quite loud too. Hermione shrieked in surprise and hit her head on the table. Then, She saw Draco and shot out of her seat, hitting his jaw. She tried to lumber her sleepy self to him, managing only to trip over her clumsy self. Thanks to Draco's seeker reflexes, she found her nose inches from being squashed against the ground. He pulled her up and Hermione blushed furiously. It was becoming a habit now- to find herself in the arms of Draco Malfoy.

"Granger, I'm getting frustrated with this habit of yours to fall over. If we don't be careful, you shall be the next patient here, with me on the bed next to yours. And I do not fancy that!" He snapped. He pulled back his arms from around her and bent down to pick up the papers that he had to let go to save Hermione from a nose fracture.

Hermione, on the other hand, stood upright, still bright as a red tomato and wondering fiercely why she could feel butterflies in her stomach from when he mentioned himself on a bed next to hers. She didn't know either why her body had responded so strongly when he'd touched her…saved her.

"Are you going got keep standing like that or tell me why I found you sleeping at work?" He asked raising a well kept eyebrow at her. She sighed. She was going to have to work things out.

-0-


	9. A Promise

**Chapter 9: A Promise**

Hermione flipped on the lights to her tiny apartment. It was tiny no doubt but it was its features that she had fallen in love with. To make up for the tiny living room (meaning she could not entertain any more than 3 guests at a time), there was a huge balcony where she had already established a hammock, a bookshelf and a collection of her favourite flowers (which she had grown within seconds-thanks to magic). She had a little more left to add but overall the effect was beautiful and calming. The view was picturesque: she could see the better part of muggle London. Across the street from her house was one of the many gateways, although hidden, to Diagon Alley: She no longer had to go through the Leaky Cauldron.

Usually when Hermione came home she would relax and find herself not stressing as much as she did but, today was different. Never had been Hermione sent away from anywhere, much less from work. She was agitated and she had realised only now that she was lagging behind in her commitments to the hospital and her colleagues, especially Malfoy. Irritated with herself, Hermione plopped her bag on the kitchen table and went to take a bath. Having slept at work had rejuvenated her, sleep no more begged her to enter its folds. Wearing her favourite comfy pyjamas, and with a glass of hot chocolate (which she whipped up in award winning time), Hermione settled down in her balcony with all the medical books she had and with those she had borrowed from the hospital's library on her way back.

Hours passed and the only mention of either the sectumsepra or fiendfyre had been "evil curses". She was mentally exhausted and slightly frustrated. She had picked up the darkest books she could find but they just weren't good enough!  
>"Urgh!" She cried when suddenly, a strange sound erupted from inside her house. Years of being on the run with Harry had to mean sharp reflexes, snatching up her wand at almost inhuman speed, she tiptoed silently inside. She arrived cautiously only to find the boy who lived, Harry Potter struggling to fit the rest of his body out of the fireplace. Hermione relaxed, and chuckled.<p>

"Harry, exactly what are you doing?" She asked incredulously. Harry yelped in response, surprised to see the owner of the apartment so nearby without him having noticed.

Hermione jumped at his yelp and then, unable to contain herself, she burst in peals of laughter. There was something about the way Harry was squeezed into the fireplace; his heading popping out and his body lost in the ashes; something about him yelping and shaking ridiculously trying to free himself- that sent tears of laughter down her face.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed with wide eyes, "Help me. Why won't it let me through?"

She took gulps of air, panted, snorted, wiped her face and replied. "Because Harry, it's restricted to face talk not body come over." She said in a sugary sweet voice, sniggering. Then she rescued him from the body-eating fireplace.

"Really Harry! All it would have taken was to inform me before hand that you were coming." She reprimanded his manners, while he dusted his dirty clothes making faces at her."You own an owl. Hedwig would have bought me the letter before you could have finished saying Hermione."

Harry froze. Few seconds of silence, and she realised the error of her ways.  
>"Percer" she said quietly, correcting the name. It was inspired from Percy's name, kept by George Weasley of course...but unlike most of the times, it ceased to be funny.<br>"Tea, Harry?"  
>"Yes please"<br>One mug, Heat water, Pour in cup, Add teabag, two spoons of sugar, Put Milk- Hermione and Harry sat through silence, remembering more than just Hedwig...everyone. She handed him his cup.  
>"Thanks."<br>"So how come you're here?"  
>"Ginny went to Molly's today to finalise the invites. Ron is out of town for the job. Kingsley gave me an unnecessary holiday for having told him about the wedding, so I came to see you."<br>"How'd you know I was home?" The awkwardness and the sadness of the room had slowly dissipated.  
>"Draco"<br>"Ohhh"  
>"So what are you doing?"<br>"Nothing I was just researching on the case, so far I haven't found a single mention of Seamus's case and I..." She stopped abruptly and whipped her head to look at Harry. He stared at her wide eyed.  
>"What? What did you say?"<br>"I...nothing. Nothing at all."  
>"Hermione?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at her sceptically. She sighed: <em>'it's time he knew' <em>she thought.  
>"Harry, Seamus is in the hospital. I'm working on his case."<br>"WHAT? Why didn't you tell me? What's wrong with him? Is he alright?"  
>"I couldn't. No he's not."<br>"What do you mean he's not?"  
>"Harry, give me a moment. I think it's time you saw him." She went to her room and changed into her Healer robes. Then, she with Harry, disapparated to their destination.<p>

As Harry stood outside Seamus's room, he suddenly spoke up just as Hermione was going to enter. "Uhh Hermione? I don't think I'm ready for this yet. If what you've said is true then...I don't think I can handle this yet. Not so soon. Not..." His voice broke.

"Ohh Harry!" Escaped Hermione's mouth and she wrapped her arms around him to comfort him. _'I'm sorry'_ she thought, _'And I'm going to fix this Harry. I promise.'_

**-0-  
><strong>  
><strong>Hopefully I'll be able to update soon. Have exams coming up. Thanks for reading :)<strong>


	10. Childhood ties

**Chapter 10: Childhood ties**

**I don't know what is wrong; the story just doesn't upload with the name of the hospital in it. All that appears is 's. Sorry about the inconvenience. I've replaced the name everywhere with 'hospital'. Thanks for all the story alerts and the author alerts. Now, let's talk about the review…:P. Moving on to what you're actually here for, the next chapter-**

Hermione was fed up and tired. She was also overwhelmed, astonished, shocked and irritated- it was the first time books had failed to help her. It was infuriating- she had gone to the every single bookshop on Diagon as well Knockturn Alley. She had even approached publishers to check if they had any books that would be to her aid. So heightened was her desperation, that she had willingly entered Street Peddlers- although it sold miscellaneous items, they were still probably the only store in London to sell dark items anymore. In fact, it was most certainly the first and the last time, Hermione wished that the various Dark Arts related shops had remained open; Atleast a few. Then she shuddered and begged whatever higher power existed to never listen to her again. Hermione had at her time of idiocy gone to Borgin and Burkes and demanded Borgin, with her wand up his nose (quite similar to Harry's being up the troll's nose in their first year), to tell her if any such book existed that would help her solve this painful mystery. He had rather simply, shaken his head, his face white with fear and he, himself, trembling, for he had never seen one of the Golden Trio up so close and so intimidating.

Finally after two days of absence at work, Hermione flooed to with a resigned sigh- the morning of the third day. She had only just stepped a few feet away from the door in an attempt to reach her desk when Draco barged in, snarling like a bull.

"Where have you been?"

"I …"

"He's had 3 attacks since day before! I hired you to help me heal this poor man whose life has become living hell and who'd rather die than live to endure such pain, and you go gallivanting around only to return three days later? Have you no shame?"

"I..."

"I! I! I! Is it all you can say? Have you got no better answer in that know-it-all head of yours? Maybe I overestimated your capabilities. Maybe you're all about mugging up answers, not actual work. Maybe..." This time he was cut short.

"Shut up! I'll have you know that I have spent these three working as hard as I can, trying to find out about this disease! I've stepped into the Knockturn alley..." At this Malfoy's eyes rose up in as he silently exclaimed in shock. Hermione's voice, on the other hand, softened in defeat till she was almost mumbling. "And I just...I can't find anything. There's nothing as dark as this curse. I promised Harry I'd fix Seamus."

Malfoy's shoulder sagged. He plopped into the nearest sofa, which Hermione had only added a few days ago, with his head supported by his hands. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. Hermione could only watch how stressed he was. His eyes were deeper, his skin paler if it could get any, his...his...

"Malfoy? Draco?"

At that instant, Draco Malfoy decided that he hadn't heard anything quite so soothing. For someone who had heard his name with extreme harshness, more often than not from Lucius, such concern when addressing was unheard of. Then he sneered at himself and said it was probably the after effects of poor sleeping so his eyes flew open, questioningly.

"Coffee?" He nodded. She would have asked for tea but the situation required something stronger. Hermione summoned the hospital elf to bring them a set of everything and set about making the coffee by hand. Draco watched her fascinated.

When the first sips had been taken: "I think I'll have to go to France. After England, Voldemort's hold had been strong in France and unlike here; they still have remains of this filthy magic. I've checked and checked here and it's useless..."

Suddenly, Draco sat up straighter as his mind worked at lightning speed. He'd already stopped listening to her as a thought hit him.

"How could I have been such an idiot?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're wrong. There's one place you haven't checked. And I should have thought of this before. But I guess he's not my only patient so it slipped out of my mind. This is the kind of help a fresh mind brings."

"Where?" She questioned, eyes wide.

"Malfoy Manor."

Hermione felt the chills ride up her back, the goose bumps prick her arms and herself shiver. Those two words and that one place had symbolized the epitome of dark and sad in her life. She didn't know what to say but Malfoy noticed everything- the fear flash across her face, the tea cup tremble in her hands, her eyes moisten- he hadn't missed a thing. It saddened him that the home of his childhood should be recoiled from but the home itself had been so cold to its visitors, that he couldn't expect better.

**Ah, another chapter ends. I'm getting into the flow of writing so I believe this chapter has been from one of the better ones. Agree? RnR please? :) thanks, BattlerRune.**


	11. Malfoy Manor

**Chapter 11: Malfoy Manor**

Hermione observed herself in the full length mirror. She had grown: emotionally and physically. The war scars still remained- she trailed the long tortuous scar on her hand - Mudblood. She flinched, as if it was at that moment that Bellatrix had grabbed her hand, and tried her first hand at carving; her first material...flesh. Hermione wasn't scared to show it off to the world. But, the people wanted something to look forward for, not something to remind them of the past. And the children who had remained oblivious- she didn't want them to be aware of it now. Normally, she wore long-sleeves, sometimes, she used glimmer.

The time for her had come to an end; she had to face her fears. It was a house for god's sake! Yes, a house with horrible memories but a just house. It wasn't the house that had caused what had happens; it was the people in it- and they were, now, gone. She was going to square her shoulders, pick up her Gryffindor courage and march into that house. With that conviction her mind, Hermione wrapped a shawl around herself and apparated to Malfoy Manor.

Draco paced across the front hall of his house, irritated. He had arranged and rearranged and decorated and beautified and charmed up the Manor all night-trying to erase all memories she had but he was unsure of the results. Scared that his house would become a thing of nightmares and scary stories, he changed the decor from silver, that he had tried, to gold. He'd tried green but it would be too menacing for her; He'd tried red, but he wasn't ready to fuel her Gryffindor ego. It was about time for her to come so he took a last look at things when the bell chimed so, he apparated to the front gate.

She was standing there like an angel in green. Wait...green? He looked at her incredulously for a moment and then, composed himself.

"Hi" she said when she saw him approaching; she had her arms wrapped around her waist protectively. He nodded in response.  
>"You sure you don't want to apparate? It's a long walk."<br>"No, I...prefer to...I prefer to walk"  
>"This way."<br>Hermione walked on the pebbled park in silence; she observing the manor, him observing her. Her hair moved to the tunes of the wind, and she pulled her shawl tighter.  
>"It's changed." She said quietly.<br>_Yes_, he said in his mind, and somehow he knew she heard him, and she knew he had done it...all this...for her.  
>"Thank you" she said. And he nodded.<p>

The grass was green like before, but it wasn't ominous- instead it was bright and happy like Hermione. There was a small area within the massive garden where medical plants, the ones used at the hospital were lined up to grow- even the rare ones. It fuelled her intrigue and excitement, she for the first time wished, Draco was her friend like Harry and Ron. She wished.

"You could be" He replied only to find a pair of eyes staring at him shocked

"What?"

"You could be there." He said pointing towards the medical herbs, smirking, "I know you're dying to go there. You can. Later."

Hermione unease vanished instantly and she enthusiastically chatted him up all the way. He, on the other hand, was least pleased and cursed the hour when he decided he should have made her happy so as she start her incessant chattering. His only reply was of the death glare and the 'You're such a know-it-all"- both ineffective on the animated woman walking with him. So thrilled was she when she heard the sound of water gushing that she begged him to take her, she didn't even notice the door of the Malfoy Manor.

"We're here." Malfoy announced much to the unpleasant surprise of his companion. She wrapped her shawl around her as tightly as she could and mumbled confidence to herself. She followed in behind Malfoy.

As soon as Hermione entered, warmth spread across her body. The chilling effect that usually met a person unfortunate enough to enter the Manor was surprisingly gone. The curtains were deep jasper coloured. The walls were a calming bushland grey. Hermione stood dumbstruck; unable to make sense of anything. She observed remarkable cream cushions ornaments decorating the house around the grey and melon colour-schemed sofas. She made for the hall that she knew led to the rest of the house and her previous warmth gave way to goose bumps as flashes of being tortured in that room came back to her.

"Granger."

"Yes?"

"There's an alternate entrance now."

She just couldn't understand as she watched Malfoy use another entrance to go into the deeper recesses of the house. He did this all for...her?

**As they go deeper into the houses, we will find out what lies in the deeper recesses of their hearts... Read and Review, my fellow readers. :). Also, a link for my inspiration for the decor at Malfoy Manor is available on my profile page. Enjoy!**


	12. The House

**CHAPTER 12**

**Please read chapter 11 first, uploaded under the plea.**

Hermione gasped as she exited the long passageway (which went around the main hall): the ceiling was as high as Hogwarts, maybe more and the house was stunning with expensive woodwork spanning across the ceiling and floor. The walls were done in wood too; the colour a shade lighter than the chocolate brown of the floor and swirls and patterns of extreme elegance contrasted the polished floor. The ceiling, Hermione could tell even from far away, was as intricate, the patterns centuries old but there was no evidence to support her observation; no fading. A crystal chandelier as big as her house hung from the centre, hundreds of candles alight upon it. A long carpeted staircase started in the middle and divided the hall into two other sub-halls (they were, although, passages, their size didn't qualify them as so.) As far as she could tell, they both led to other rooms, as well as the staircase which when ended, had a small balcony with one door at each end. In the centre was the master piece with the entire Malfoy family tree sketched upon it: it was similar to the one at Grimmauld Place of the Black family but ten-times its size.

"It is beautiful!" She exclaimed, having never had the chance to go beyond the hall- she had no idea this existed. 'No wonder the Malfoy's behave like this. Their notion of superiority arises from this.' She thought.  
>"Granger, we don't have all day. If I left you wouldn't have a head or tail of an idea of where to go so, I'd suggest you better hurry up.." He drawled.<br>Hermione was affronted. Apparently, as soon as Hermione returned to normal, so did his manners. She followed him with her annoyed look slowly being replaced with awe as she passed the hall on the right of the staircase. Soon enough, they were passing the portraits of Draco's ancestors. Comments on Hermione's blood were loud enough to hear, receiving glares from the youngest Malfoy. One particular gentleman greeted Draco in a warm way choosing to ignore his companion.

"Greetings m'boy, you hardly come this side anymore." Abraxas Malfoy said. They had reached the end of the long corridor and Hermione was slightly pained on having to endure a corridor full of bad comments.

"Granger, you go ahead." Draco told Hermione, raising his hand in the direction of two giant oak doors. She marveled at the grandness, golden leaf print adorned the doors. She pushed it open but instead of looking ahead, she turned around shut the door, leaving it partially open. She wasn't the one to eavesdrop, her parents had taught her better than that but then, she had met Fred and George and all her qualms against it had been ignored, leaving way for curiousness. Hermione was simply curious.

"Good Evening, grandfather." She heard.

"Is she what I think she is? A Mud...muggle?" Abraxas corrected.

"Yes."

"I knew you didn't agree with your parents but to bring a...muggle into our house? Draco?"

"Times have changed; and my patients our more important than blood statuses."

"Indeed indeed. Am I to believe that this patient is Seamus?"

"Yes"

"So, he is still not well? Is it because of him you don't come this side anymore?"

"I hardly come home anymore…" He sighed, "His relapses have become frequent and the harder I search the more the solution escapes me."

"Deepen your inner mind. The answer is deep within you then perhaps."

Draco snorted and Hermione jumped back in surprise. Unable to control himself, he broke into a chortle. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the freeness of his laughter; the innocence. After the initial shock, she wondered about how she thought he didn't know how to laugh; she frowned.

"What is it m'boy? What is funny? You dare laugh upon thy grandfather" Abraxas mocked anger.

"No, it's not that." He said smiling, "You sounded like Trelawney, our divinations teacher at Hogwarts. 'Broaden your inner mind" yada yada." He went back to laughing. Even Hermione couldn't help but snigger; which she later regretted because Malfoy Jr heard her.

"Grandfather, excuse me but I have left a guest alone far too long. I shall be back once, she leaves." He said good naturedly. His grandfather just smiled and went back to sleep in the purple couch on his picture. Hermione, only, had a few seconds to react to the situation- she turned around and was about to make for the books when she took into the view before her. The next of her plan was lost in the overwhelming excitement and admiration and awe Hermione felt. The door behind her opened but she couldn't be bothered- she couldn't get enough of the Malfoy Library. The entire floor to ceiling on three sides of the room was covered in books. A fireplace and two grand windows were the only breaks. The area in the centre was decorated with two single sofa chairs and one long couch in the same shade of cream along with a giant oak table in centre, had Hermione weak in her knees.

Draco was about to comment on the statuesque demeanor of Hermione when his owl flew in. Petting it and then extracting a red envelope from it, he was surprised to see it to be from is ex arch-nemesis of Hogwarts. Upon observing the subject of the letter, he smiled.

**I believe that I have ignored the other characters far too long! Really excited for the next chapter. You'll see why. Lots of surprises. ReadnReview. BattlerRune : )**


	13. Invite Me

**Chapter 13: Invite Me**

**I'm so very sorry and ashamed.****I've had a serious writer's block for a very long time.**

Hermione was still standing dumbstruck when she heard the flapping of wings. A majestic brown bird with almost golden eyes was sitting atop Draco's shoulder as he read from a parchment in a red envelope.

"Red? Who's sending you red letters?"

"Letters in red envelope to be precise and it is lover boy, I believe"

"Excuse me?"

"It's Potter, Granger." He sighed

"Harry is sending you letters?" She asked sceptically; enunciating each word.

"Only one." He corrected her yet again, and then continuing as she looked at him confused, "It's his wedding invite. It's customary for the bride and groom to send letters of in...What?"

Hermione almost looked like pig, one of Ronald's old owls as her eyes bulged out and she gaped like a fish. It astonished Malfoy.

"He sent you a wedding invite?"

"Yes" he drawled, "is it that hard to comprehend. I understand you don't like me very much but Potter..." He was interrupted yet again.

"You got your wedding invite before me?"

The irritation that was once on his face was replaced with understanding once the real reason for her behaviour dawned upon him. Hermione only turned around and sunk into a sofa. .

"Look now Granger. No need to look so delighted but you would've got your letter before if you were home. But you're not. So clearly there's no need to fret. There would be a letter waiting for you when you get home." He paused; his well practised drawl had gone squeaky and high pitched towards the end. Clearly, he was terrified of the angry side of the brunette. For what seemed to be the longest fifteen seconds of his life, Draco waited for the brooding Hermione to wake up and start with her animated chatter again, especially since she was in her most favourite place in the world; The best-stocked library in the world. Yet, the news of the invite had her quiet and upset. It mattered to her. Suddenly, a crack shook the room. It was so unexpected that Draco, well composed as he usually is, was left floundering in shock like a bird in a cage while, Hermione let out a high-pitched squeal that would make a pig jealous.

"Twiddles presents his humblest apologies to master and his guest but, a young master and his dame were absolutely insistent to meet master's lady friend. Should I direct him in?"

Draco had taken this span of time to right himself and recover from the surprise. He was slightly relieved to know that it was only the flustered side of his house elf, Twiddles, and not an army of highly murderous death eaters. He gathered his thoughts and silence prevailed a moment or two. Twiddles stood wide-eyed, trembling; Hermione sat with a bored expression looking from master to elf. She controlled herself from throwing herself in front of the tiny, ill treated creature but there was no evidence that Twiddles was so.

"Fetch them Twiddles but make sure you take the longer route."

A bow later, he was gone.

"Are you done mourning?"

"He's my best friend! I should have gotten an invite before..."

"Me" what Hermione said pained him slightly. She hadn't forgiven him. "Isn't it given that you're invited."

"Maybe, but, that doesn't exclude me from an invite."

"I'm guessing they're here to see you then"

"Who?"

"Really Granger? Your wit has declined, I see."

"It's a curious question dignified with a decent response."

"It's inquisitive, no doubt, but, juvenile. Unexpected from you."

"Oh dear, you both fight like a married couple!" This exclamation came from the door where a mass of red hair was bobbing excitedly. Standing next to her with unruly black hair was a young man, dressed casually and with a grin stretching across his face.

"Harry! Ginny!" Hermione yelped in surprise. Ginny, in response, raced into Hermione's arms and started sobbing.

"Where were you? We've been trying to catch you all day! We reached your apartment this morning and learnt from your neighbour that you'd left just moments earlier. Then, we decided to come to St, Mungo's but we got delayed since mum's friend came over to measurements for Harry's robes. When we finally made it to St, Mungo's, and the receptionist gleefully informed us that you'd left with Malfoy. What are you doing here anyway?"

Hermione, who'd been in the middle of comforting Ginny, stopped. She changed the topic and had the bride blushing and giggling within seconds. Draco who'd been shaking hands with Harry and demanding why he'd frightened the daylights out of his house elf, noticed Hermione's not so subtle attempt at changing the topic. He was confused but his face remained passive although Harry seemed like he'd detected it as well.

"Why have you been stalking me?" Hermione asked teasingly.

Harry conjured a red envelope, snatching it from the air. He joined Ginny who was smiling coyly. They both bend down on their knees.

Ginny asked, "Hermione dear, would you do us the honour of being my Maid of honour?"

Tears glistened in Hermione's eyes, sparkling like a sea of amber stones in sunlight. She couldn't stop smiling, and she turned around to beam at Malfoy. He gave her encouraging nod, smirking all the while,

"Yes, I will." The rest of what happened was blurred in a flurry of tears, hugs and laughter, when Draco finally realised something.

"Please tell me you didn't do that to Weasley." The look on his face clearly illustrated how repulsed he felt at the thought. He shuddered. The rest of them burst into laughter. Hermione, on a normal day would have disapproved of Ron's insult but today she didn't care so much. Her best friends were getting married soon; something she'd longed to see forever. Her dream had finally come true.

**HARRY AND GINNY ARE GETTING MARRIED! YAY! I love weddings so, keep reading! RnR too :***


	14. And then

Do you know what it feels like to be alone? To want someone to love but have no one? To recall happy memories but no longer feel happy? Just vast empty hollowness in the place of your companion. The silence that prevails in your house-in the absence of a lover; in your lonliness. Hermione felt it...deeply in that moment when Harry and Ginny clung tenaciously to each other. She felt like an intruder. Crossing the boundaries; like she was invading on sacred grounds. Frankly, she, truly,felt alone after a long time.

She stood in silence, in a corner, trying to go unnoticed; not to disturb the two love birds.

All these years that she had been gone, she had wanted to be alone; to be on her own. But, now, eversince she had gotten back, she'd been trying to fill that empty space with work, and books, and worry. With Ron, no longer there, but willing, she was alone. She didn't want Ronald anymore. He was different. He had matured, no doubt but he wasn't right for her; he felt wrong. Although, he was ready for her to come back, she'd moved past that. The feeling was... long gone.

"Hermione, what do you think?" Harry broke her trance, waving a diamond ring in her face.  
>"Its nice but..."<br>"Its not quite it, is it?" Ginny completed her sentence. She shook her head.  
>"Help us." Ginny sighed.<p>

A glass box covered in all sorts of rings, rings that muggles couldn't even imagine. Spy rings and, wedding rings and, soul bands and , love rings and, hate rings- all kinds of rings imaginable. She looked about and noticed a golden band in the corner. Odd. Pushed away. She stretched her hand towards it, over the glass and the salesman, noticing her, brought it out.

It was simple. A golden band with the words forever printed across it, in curly cursive script. They shined.

"No one has ever looked at it. Its too simple they say. But, its a pretty one. Said to have some deep magical properties." The shopkeeper told her.

"He's right. Its too simple." Ginny called out, looking over to her. Hermione nodded, unwillingly placing it back on the counter. She hadn't let go when she heard a pop.

"Granger. Mrs Weasley told me you'd be here. Let's go. We've got work to do." Draco drawled.

"But, I'm helping Harry and Ginny here."

"Oh its alright Hermione. You have other wediding preparations to take care off. You can finish off your work now." Ginny smiled cheekily.

Draco gave her the- "there". She shook her head at Ginny. Hermione took one last look at the ring and pulled away. She, then, turned around and after bidding farewell and offering her goodluck to the couple ; she sent a last nod in Malfoy's direction, then, she apparated to 's.

Malfoy noticed the dimness in her. She was a vivacious women but she looked lonely today. He noticed the ring on the counter. After a hard look, he to apparated. The word "forever" imprinted in his mind.

"How's he holding up?" She walked in, her hair tied up in a neat bun, wearing a white jacket and a notepad in her hand. Seamus was lying infront of her, silent and unconscious. He'd been like that for a while. A team of three other Healers stood around him, monitoring his condition.

"Not well. His vitals are dropping much faster than before." She got a reply

"That can't be good." She sighed.

"No kidding Granger." Draco walked in, drawling at her comment with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

"Malfoy."

"That's Healer Malfoy to you. Granger, lets go."

"Where?" She said surprised.

He was about to answer her when he stopped. What would his co-workers think? He was offering a beautiful woman to come home with him. He...wait, did he just think of her as...beautiful..nowa..

"Malfoy?" She interrupted his thought process.  
>"Yea...office. My office. There's a file I have to discuss with you."<p>

"I'll be right along"

He mentally groaned. He couldn't ask again, it would seem too desperate..too needy; like he couldn't control his team. And he wasn't exactly telling the truth about the file, so he'd have to wait outside. No one makes a Malfoy wait. Damn you Granger. He gave her the most scathing look.

"Oh joy" he muttered, leaving a puzzled Hermione behind.


	15. Here's to what's next

**Chapter 15: Here's to what's next**

**It was a cliffhanger ending: P. Relax. 4500 views: D. Thank you so much to each and every one of you! Please don't forget to RnR:*.**

He was there for six minutes. He counted every single millisecond. Six minutes and then the door creaked open.  
>"Oh, you're still here."<br>"Yes." He hissed.  
>"So what file...?"<br>"We have to go back to my Manor and dig something up. Last time was a complete waste of time, thanks to Potter and his wife. But, even with all the wedding excitement..." Here he rolled his eyes, "Seamus remains top priority. You need to start giving your 100 percent." She hadn't missed the 'my manor" making him sound as pompous as ever but she didn't mention it.  
>"You're right. But, why didn't you say that about the Manor straight away?" It felt to name the house. It felt weird on her tongue, coming out of her mouth but, not quite so menacing as before.<br>"Think about it."  
>She did. Imagining the scene before her, Realisation dawned on her. She nodded vigorously. Malfoy began walking to his room.<br>"We should get a code word for this." She ran to join him.  
>"Granger", he said irritated, "Can I expect you not to eavesdrop on my conversations again? It's rude."<br>That shut her up. She nodded shamefacedly.

On the second visit to Malfoy Manor, they found the trip from the front gate to the library was shorter though, the Malfoy family portraits weren't any less hostile. Abraxas Malfoy ignored her again, only nodding to his passing grandson this time. Nevertheless, the library did not fail to amaze her. She spent her first few moments gazing fondly at the several tonne display on the walls before her. The library was filled with volumes she'd never even heard of before. She walked over to the first shelf, trying to find her way around when Malfoy walked past from behind her.

He murmured "Follow me."

He led her through a narrow corridor, three bookshelves into the centre. Extracting his wand, he waved it in front of the brick wall, whispering under his breath. Suddenly, the bricks began to separate, much like the path from the Leaky Cauldron to Diagon Alley. A small room presented itself. Draco gave his wand a little flourish getting rid of the dust - obviously no one had been here in a while. Hermione couldn't help but gape at what she saw when Draco moved out of her way. The room was lavish - made mostly of beautifully polished red mahogany. The floor was made in mahogany too with a herringbone pattern decorating it and plush hand-weaved Middle Eastern carpets covering its expanse. It wasn't the only thing reminiscent of the Middle East- a barrel vault arch was carved in expensive wood curved above her. Hermione trailed after Draco, gaping at the splendour around her. She didn't think she'd have enough money to buy this in a lifetime – it was made with years of Malfoy wealth. Draco browsed the shelves deep in thought when Hermione saw the block-mottled makore desk placed in the corner for a comfortable workplace- at that moment she wished to any higher power who was watching over her to make her as fortunate to be able to call this place her own; to sit here and work in peace and quiet. Little did she know- the plan was already in action.

"Hermione." Draco called out and she was brought out of her stupor surprised by his use of her name, "You'll find that this is the best collection of books for this purpose in the whole of the world." He sounded a bit wary. She acknowledged him and set about perusing through the titles. They were all Dark Art books. Even with the warm fireplace burning (she hadn't noticed it before); there was a certain chill in the room. She associated it with the dark magic lining its walls but she was grateful for it, nonetheless- Seamus needed it. It was now, about fighting fire with fire.

The titles were making her uneasy and she couldn't figure which book would contain information to help Seamus. She picked up a particularly ominous looking book to start of her research with. Malfoy, she noticed, had already picked up a set of three books and was sitting on a leather chair, engrossed in the top most book of his pile. She made her way towards him, settling on the seat on the opposite side. It was the first time she didn't find herself relax or calm down as she opened the book, instead, her stomach squirmed at the thoughts of what she was going to find in it. She started reading.

It was close to nightfall when Twiddles popped into the room, notifying to them that dinner was ready and ought to be eaten immediately. Hermione had gotten only as far as the middle of her second book owing to the excessive cringing and horror at most of the dark contents of the books. Her knowledge in this field lacked immensely, limited only to the spells she saw the usage of during the war. She learnt things she had never known before but yet, nothing was going to help Seamus.

"Here, mark the book." Malfoy handed her a bookmark, "We'll continue tomorrow."

"Very well, I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for letting me in here."

"I was hoping you would stay for dinner." He sounded different. She hesitated momentarily.

"I really must return; Maybe another time?" She tried to smile but it came out as a horrible grimace. He dropped her to the apparition point, to where they had then, walked in awkward silence. Then she was gone. He stared into the empty space, where she had stood not moments ago and cursed the life he had led years ago. Even while, being his sworn enemy, she was his only companion- human interaction. Others just avoided him, until absolutely necessary. Suddenly, he turned around and went back for dinner.

Draco sipped the soup, slowly, paying no attention to what exactly he was doing. He was deep in thought. Having no one to share his meals with, he sat alone on a long table of almost twenty. He was alone- he had no friends, his father was dead and his mother was far away... in France - enjoying herself away from the critical eyes of England; away from the harsh judgments of her character; away from the past. Once or twice she'd write to Draco asking him about his life and he lied to her, telling her he was happy; that he didn't want to run away from it all and start a new life in other parts of the world. Apart from that, most of his family was either dead or hiding. Except Twiddles, he had no one. Potter came around once in a while but, he didn't want pity, he wanted a friend. He got up from the table, his soup not even half finished but, he, himself, tired of his life. His appetite was lost.

Hermione unlocked the door, pondering over her childhood enemy, recent acquaintance and spawn of the evil Lucius Malfoy. He was…confusing. He was nice. He was sad. He was intelligent. He was rude. He was absolutely obnoxious. He was irritating. He was helpful. He was passionate. He was simply ambiguous but he was lost. He was not the same old self-confident boy that he had been. He was truly lost.

She slipped off her bag, placing it on the kitchen counter, putting the tea to boil. Her stomach growled. She had half her mind to stay for dinner at Malfoy's request but she couldn't tell if it was appropriate. She prepared her cup for tea. On one hand she felt that not accepting the invite to stay was slightly rude of her given that he had behaved cordially with her, on the other, she felt like if she accepted, she would be intruding. He might only be asking out of common curtsy and not really want her to stay. She pulled out some leftover meat pie from the fridge. Then again, he sounded genuine enough.

"But he's a Malfoy. I'd be damned if Malfoy's couldn't act. After all, he was the one who could keep stone-faced no matter what. Even magic can't tell what goes on in a Malfoy's head." She exclaimed to no one in particular.

Her stomach rumbled, rudely interrupting her train of thought. She poured herself a cup of tea and heated up the pie with her wand. As she chewed slowly on her food, swallowing it with her tea, she reflected upon all that was occurring in her life: the wedding, Seamus, her lack of love life…Draco. She thought about how lucky Ginny and Harry were to have found each other; and wondered if they would find the cure for Seamus fast enough; and she looked about her apartment feeling alone. Lastly, she thought about him. He looked worse than the last time she observed him. She put her plate in the sink, too tired to clean it, even with magic. He looked lonely, pale, sad…

"_Maybe I should cut him some slack"_

Then, she fell asleep.

On the other side of town, a certain blonde man stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom, unseeingly; ready to lie awake…as usual.

When the sun shone in through the enormous glass window, the next morning, streaming onto the four poster bed designed for maximum comfort and utmost luxury, it blinded the sole occupant who was lying awake…having not slept at all.

Hermione awoke with a start, groggy and disoriented because of her dream. It had been a jumble of all her thought and quite frankly, the end result of that was disturbing. She dragged herself out of bed and staggered to the shower. On the way, she accidently happened to glance at the calendar. A moment later she let out a cry of realisation as it dawned on her that it was the dress fitting day! Ginny was going to kill her!

**-0-**


	16. Step One

"HERMIONE!"

"I'm sorry Ginny! I really am!"

"That doesn't change that you're so late and consequently, mum and I are too!"

"You know Ginny I'm never late. It's only just this once!" Hermione felt really apologetic for ruining one of Ginny's most important days. It was all about her best friend now. Ginny was the bride. Hermione really had to stop thinking only about herself...and Draco. Mentally, slapping herself for the unnecessary addition, Hermione wondered how she would calm Ginny down.

Harry had listened to the scene while, his eyes remained focused on the meal in front of him, smiling at the jokes his would be brother-in-laws cracked about their fiery sister; his would be wife; his love; Ginny.

"Precisely! It's as if my wedding and I don't really matter to you..." he heard Ginny's curt reply.

Harry thought it was time to rescue his best friend. He sighed one last time, earning sympathy grins from his soon to be brother-in-laws and in Arthur's case, father–in-law, and pushed his chair back, reluctantly, making his way to the front door.

"Ginny dear, I'm sure Hermione meant to be here earlier. It must be an accident. You know Hermione, love, don't you?" he asked her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. Ginny fumed, quietening down for a bit, considering Harry's words.

"But, there's so much work to do! And she's not there!" she, then, wailed.

"Ginny!" Molly Weasley admonished, "Don't be silly. Let it go. We better leave now since Hermione is here!"

Hermione looked at Mrs. Weasley gratefully even when, Ginny just shot her the I'm-not-done-with- you look while succumbing to her mother's arguments. Hermione tried to give her an apologetic smile, and promised herself she'd talk to her later. Inside, the Weasley men, now without Harry, were eating breakfast, with amused smiles on their faces. It wasn't like they found their Brown-headed friend's predicament funny, they were just glad that the Ginny rage had been directed elsewhere; there was another victim. The wedding had frayed the young Redhead's nerves, she had been screeching and shouting more than usual. Though, it was the first time Hermione endured its wrath.

Although, he felt her concerns, her anger, today, was misplaced. Harry knew why Hermione was late. He thought back to that one door he hadn't wished to open; the door to Seamus's ward. He hadn't known, for so long...

"_Do you really believe the rubbish he says about You-Know-Who?"_

"_I do. Anyone else with a problem with Harry?"_

"_Me mam didn't want me to come back this year."_

"_Why not? "_

"_Let me see... because of you! The Daily Prophet's been saying a lot of things about you, Harry. About Dumbledore as well."_

"_And your mum believes them? "_

"_Well, no one was there the night Cedric died."_

"_Oh, well I guess you should read the Prophet then, like your stupid mother. It'll tell you everything you need to know."_

"_Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!"_

"_I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar!"_

"_Harry! I... uh... I wanted to apologize. I know with everything me mam is saying in the Prophet is all very druddle. So, what I'm really trying to say is that... I believe you."_

"_I believe you"_

"_I believe you"_

"_I believe you"_

"_I believe you"_

The words haunted Harry's thought since the day he'd heard about Seamus. The fault was entirely his. If only he had faced Voldemort much earlier; If only he hadn't been afraid of his death; if only he had known he'd have to face the killing curse; if only...Every minute after the war he had wondered if he could have saved those who died; if those countless deaths could have been avoided; if his friends could have been saved..._"You have your mother's eyes." _His whisper carried through Harry's mind as his last tear slid down his face. His hard, beady eyes looked at Harry with such pain...begging him to forgive him. Harry's eyes shot open. Snape.

Harry raised himself of the edge of the bed and glanced across to his engagement outfit before sitting down on the study table. He pulled out a parchment and began framing his letter.

-0-

Hermione smiled at Ginny as she tried out her sixth outfit. She swore if Ginny would get any more excited she would explode.

"It's not quite it, is it?"

Her eyes lingered on the base of the skirt, and then she shook her head, "No, it's not as regal as you'd like it to be." She momentary looked at Parvati who looked stunning in her dress, who nodded in judgement. Parvati, then turned to the store assistant and conversed with her in Hindi.

"What did you say Par?" Ginny questioned, smoothing her hair in the mirror.

"A lighter colour- cream, maybe. That's what I told her."

"Yes that might do", Hermione agreed, "I must say that the idea is absolutely fabulous! Did Harry take long to agree?" She asked her best friend.

"Take long? He took ages to agree. He wanted to have a simple wedding, normalcy and family and friends. You know Harry." Hermione chuckled

"I mean I understand where he comes from so it will be just close family and friends. Yet, I thought it was time we had something to look forward to; something to celebrate; something to allow Harry to relax for a moment and stop thinking that bunch of Death Eaters are going to burst on him any moment."

"Again?"

"Yes, ever since the news of the break-ins in South London. He worries too much Hermione and lately, his brow is always furrowed. He says it's because of work but I know it's otherwise. I just don't understand the reasons. "

A young Indian bustled about fixing Ginny's outfit; bringing the conversation to an end but Hermione had an idea what was going on in his childhood friend's mind. A conversation with him was long overdue. They, both, had a lot on their minds and it was time they shared it with each other. _"And Ron...perhaps."_ She added as an afterthought.

Ginny pushed the curtains to the dressing room aside, breaking through Hermione's trail of thoughts. She looked wonderful.

"Ginny! I think this is it! It looks gorgeous!" Hermione exclaimed wide eyed and was joined by Parvati and the store assistant. Ginny blushed and glowed as she observed herself from every angle. After several, "you really think so?" and "Yes, you look fantastic", Ginny said yes to the dress. It was sealed in a long, white and elegant box. The matching accessories were soon selected and packed along with Hermione's and Parvati's outfit. Hermione was terribly proud of what she had purchased because it was stunning but, she didn't feel that it looked as good on her as it did on the mannequin. At first, she had been absolutely against purchasing such a hideously expensive outfit since it would be no good to her after the wedding but, once she put it on, she could think of reasons to buy it which along with the persuasion of the other two girls was enough for it to be added to the shopping list that the girls covered.

"Hermione?" Ginny called out as they magicked out of the store.

"Yes Ginny?"

"I think this dress is the one."

"It is." Hermione added with a smile, "Congratulations love".

**-0-**


	17. Step Two

"HARRY!"

"YEA?"

"CAN YOU COME UPTO MY ROOM FOR A SECOND, MATE?"

"BE RIGHT UP!"

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, CAN YOU TWO STOP SCREAMING?"

"SORRY MUM."

Harry gave Mrs Weasley an apologetic look on his way up to Ron's room. He had been staying with the Weasley's for a while but, had purchased a house with the help of his two best friends as one of his wedding presents for Ginny. He reached the top floor and slipped into the bright orange room to find Hermione and Ron sitting on the floor wrapped in a heated discussion.

"Really Ron? Harry, do knock some sense into Ron here!" Hermione demanded as she noticed him by the door.

"Err, Hermione...?"

"Mate, why can't I have a Chudley Cannons room? It's MY room if you haven't noticed THAT Hermione. You can stop telling what to and what not to do with it."

"Fine, I was just trying to help. It's silly for a grown man to have a room that's decorated like the inside of an Orange!"

Hermione's request made a little more sense, now, that Harry knew what the argument was about. Except, he didn't have time to discuss the décor of Ron's room given that the wedding was nearing and the tempers of the two Weasley women were slowly rocketing. Harry and Ron and Hermione (when she was around) were continuously arranging and rearranging and setting up things for the wedding; they were burdened with work. They hadn't got a single free moment in days until now. As if on cue, Mrs Weasley called out from the kitchen for them to come down and fix the yard. After Harry told her they'd be down in a bit, he settled down on the floor next to Ron.

"I guess it helps that I don't have posh French parents to stay over?" he joked in reference to Bill's wedding.

"I don't think she could get any worse." Ron pointed out bitterly.

"At least Ginny wasn't fretting the last time. And if Harry did have 'posh French parents', it would mean TWO Weasley women would be panicking over the one, last time." Hermione added and Ron visibly shuddered to her 'if' condition.

Snickering Harry spoke up, "Apart from refreshing memories, what's up with the hiding-out-in-Ron's-room-again, guys?"

"Harry, I think it's just that I haven't gotten the chance to catch up with you guys properly since I've come back because of the wedding fever and the tensions. A lot has happened and I've missed you guys a lot!"

"We've missed you too Hermione so, don't run off like that again, okay?"

"Yea Hermione, Harry and I were worried sick till we finally got your letter. And we, both, were worried even after we got the letter. For a long time, we didn't know if you were okay or not."

"I'm sorry. I just…it got a lot to take in."

"Just talk to us Hermione..."

"I didn't find them…my parents." She choked up a little, "After the war, the deaths, the disasters, losing Fred…it all got too much. All of you were hurting and I was hurting and everyone were hurting…I just didn't know what to do. Even though we'd won, the cost of the war was so great…" Her voice reduced a whisper. Both, Ron and Harry watched a tear slip down her face as they pulled her into a bone crushing group hug. A few moments passed as she struggled to control her emotions and enjoyed the warmth of the hug.

"We love you so much, Hermione." Harry told her in a calming voice.

"I lost my family Harry…" she sobbed.

"No, Hermione! Your family is still here." Ron corrected her running soothing circles on her back.

Hermione's heart warmed and Harry broke the emotion up by sniggering, "When did you get so coherent Ron. Oh by the way, this means you'll have to accept Hermione's cat as family too."

They all laughed, even Hermione couldn't help it through the tears, for a moment in response to Ron's over dramatic "No way!"

"Where, by the way, is Crookshanks Hermione?" He asked

"I left him with my neighbors' before the war. I went back to get her but, he had fit so well in their family. It felt horrid to take him away."

"Oh"

"Harry? There's one more thing we need to discuss."

"Yea, I think so too."

"What are you guys talking about?" Ron was the only one who was clueless about what had happened to Seamus after the war. They filled him on it and then, on Harry and Hermione came about to knowing it.

"So all this while, Seamus was alive? WHY didn't Malfoy say anything?"

"They didn't know it was Seamus. Nobody knew till Malfoy specifically began focusing on this case only a while back. You have to understand Ron; it's hard to tell that it's him…"

"What is the plan of action?" They all smiled; always getting through problems, together.

"I've written to his mum. Her letter only came in yesterday. She had moved to Nepal for religious reasons and didn't believe what I'd said."

"Naturally, if someone told me dead son was alive and suffering from a life threatening new situation that no one really knew the cure to, I wouldn't believe him either."

"Yes, well thanks Ron but, that wouldn't mean that you didn't tell her, would it? The question here is what now?

"Guys?" Hermione spoke out, "You don't think we could probably visit her or something, could we?"

**-0-**


	18. The Truth

Chapter 18: The Truth

* * *

><p>It was back to work for Hermione. She had spent a fabulous weekend at the Weasley's, reliving memories with Ron and Harry as well as helping Ginny in the arrangements for the nearing wedding. The bachelorette for Ginny and bachelor party for Harry was on Friday. The wedding itself was on Saturday, followed by a reception on Sunday. It was a hectic week ahead but, Hermione was anticipating each day. She was excited, this Monday in particular because she, along with Harry and Ron just like old times, spent the weekend planning. The ideas were coming together and they had an almost complete plan of action. Now, all that was left was tiny details, the execution and telling Malfoy. Whatever was going to happen, she was determined not to leave Seamus alone or Malfoy for that matter. Hermione had been deep in thought and almost missed the office door. She knew he was in his office without checking because it seemed like he was always there. There wasn't a possibility that he wasn't there and that's why after three sharp knocks on the door, when Hermione received no reply, she was surprised. She went in to find an abandoned office which looked back at her sadly. She felt a slight pang as she felt Draco's loneliness; his office practically begged attention. Then, she went down to the reception to find that Malfoy hadn't shown this morning. She was surprised indeed.<p>

Hermione didn't really have many cases because Malfoy wanted her to concentrate solely on Seamus but this morning, his absence meant that as Healer Under, she was to take his place. She made her way to her own office to find Howard excitedly pacing the front of her room.

"Good morning Howard," she said smiling brightly at the young man, "Had a good weekend I hope?"

"Good morning Healer Granger, yes I did. Thank you and you did too?"

"Yes Howard, Thank you. So what have you got for me this morning?" she said walking into her room. She flicked her wand and the dust that had accumulated over the weekend disappeared. The shutters on the windows flew open and instantly, light poured in.

"Since, Healer Malfoy isn't here today; you will have to take over his cases for the day."

"Did Malfoy call in?"

"No Ma'am, he hasn't so far."

"Alright, what are his cases?"

"Here's …" Hermione knew briefly about Malfoy's cases and she kept half her mind on what Howard was saying. The other half trailed off, thinking about Malfoy._ "Is he alright? He didn't look one to take leaves like this. May be I should go see him during lunch."_

She spent her morning with various patients across St Mungo's. Obviously, Spell Damage had a continuous flow of patients as spells backfired across the Wizarding World on a regular basis. She was exhausted within a few hours and couldn't wait for lunch. As a Healer, it seemed, Malfoy had taken many more cases than the average taken by one Healer. She respected the amount of work he did and at times, she was awed by the course of healing and medication he chose with certain patients. Thankfully, there were no emergencies this morning because Hermione felt slightly ill-prepared to deal with them. By the time, lunch hour came around, Hermione was ravenous but, she felt even more strongly that she go and see what Malfoy was doing. She skipped through the cafeteria grabbing a chicken and mayonnaise sandwich – it was simple and tasty and was one of her favorites. She apparated right at the gate of Malfoy Manor, after which she realised, she should probably thought this through. She cast an _Expecto Patronum, _observing fondly as the otter floated through the air, carrying her message.

She observed the imposing building in front of her. No matter how many times she saw it, she still shivered at its sight. A few minutes passed and there was no response. She tapped her foot impatiently, expecting Malfoy to stride out any moment but he didn't so she had no choice but to proceed to enter in the traditional manner. She walked towards the gate and waved her wand in a loop. Finally, some activity graced her as the gate creaked open and the house elf, Twiddles presented himself.

"Good evening Lady Granger. Welcome to Malfoy Manor."

"Thankyou, Twiddles. Where is Mal-Draco?"

"Master is currently unavailable Miss." the little creature squeaked.

"So, he's not here?"

"I'm not at liberty to disclose information without permission."

"So he's there?"

"I'm not at liberty to disclose information without permission."

"Okayy..." Hermione couldn't fathom what she should do. Her lunch time was almost about to end. Suddenly, she heard a noise before she saw Malfoy stagger towards her.

"Hermione" He mumbled.

She was horrified. His hair was in a disarray, his skin was white and he looked peakish, like he was keeping his bile down. He stumbled towards her like he had had a hundred drinks to many. Instinctively, she stepped forward and caught him before he fell over. This time Malfoy was in her arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave a review! I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading! - Battler Rune<strong>


	19. Revelations

_**Chapter 19:**_ Revelations

'Oh my god, Malfoy are you okay?' He wasn't so she didn't get a reply. Any how, he was getting heavier by the second- his dead weight almost too much to handle for Hermione but she knew being a Healer that he was more than a couple of pounds under weight for a man his size.

'Twiddles can we please take Malfoy up to his room?' The elf too had turned white, seeing his master in such a state.

'Yes Miss' With a crack that Hermione thought she'd never get accustomed to, Twiddles took Hermione and Draco to Draco's room. With the elf's help, she tucked him into the bed. It took her not a moment to realise why Malfoy was sick. She stared unpleasantly at the array of potions littering Malfoy's bedside table. A variety of sleeping droughts and dreamless potions and medicine of this sort. None strong enough to poison him on their own but several bottles and all together enough to make him sick- very sick.

'Twiddles can you please fetch me two buckets, a towel, a Reviving potion and a Yiamin potion?'

While, the elf was away which was only a short few minutes, she checked her patients temperature. He was hot, burning almost. That was a good sign because it meant his body was fighting. If he had been stone cold, then it would have been a huge problem.

When the elf returned she sent him off to make his master a lovely lunch. She grabbed the bottle of potion and tipped a few drops into Draco's mouth. Then she filled on of the buckets with cold water and placed the other near the foot of the bed. She dipped the towel into the water and placed it onto Draco's head. She was cooling him down. She dipped it a few more times and wiped his hands and feet and wet his face, waiting for him to revive. He awoke. Groggy, in pain and still pale.

'It's ridiculous. You're a god damn Healed. You know not to take _that _many potions together. Don't do it again Malfoy. It's not good to almost die every once in a while.'

She helped him into a siting position and gave him two whole caps of the Yiamin potion. He didn't want it but with Hermione glaring at him, he didn't really have a choice. Seconds later, the potion started working and Malfoy turned green. She helped him lean over the bed as he threw up the toxic contents of his stomach. Rubbing circles into his back, she sat next to him till his stomach was quite empty and then, vanished the bucket.

His temperature was already coming down and colour was returning to his skin. Twiddles appeared at the right moment carrying a plate of wonderful smelling and delicious looking tray of food.

'I expect you to finish that Malfoy. It was wrong to take that many potions and worse on an empty stomach. God.'

He nodded tiredly and lay back down against the pillows that Hermione had arranged to support his siting position. She gathered up the potions on his bedside except the Yiamen potion and handed them over to the elf.

'Don't let him take these. Okay?'

She looked around the bare room trying to spot anymore bottles of unnecessary potions. However only emptiness greeted her eyes. There was one giant window, the curtains of which had been torn down and one cupboard for what Hermione imagined would be clothes, apart from the bed and side table. A lonely candle floated about but there was enough sunlight streaming in.

'I better get back Malfoy. Also, I suggest that you use a pensieve to clear your head before you sleep. If absolutely necessary, take 6 drops of nectarine and a few drops of Sekhines potion. It helps to sleep better.' she knew by the looks of how many potions he had taken to sleep that he would need the concoction she had told him.

He nodded again. 'thanks'

'No problem. I think one more round of Yiamen potion before dinner should do. Bye. Take care.'

She slipped out of the room stopping just outside the door. 'Hey Malfoy, where's your mum?'

'She's gone.' a dejected voice floated to her and she felt bad for mentioning it. Then she left.

* * *

>There you are. Love you all xox Battler Rune.<p><p> 


	20. Back to Work

**Chapter 20: Back to work**

* * *

><p><em>"Malfoy? Where's your mother?"<em>

_"Gone"_

Hermione was back at work and boy, was she exhausted. She leant back and created a cup like support for her back with her hand. Her back was killing her. She had been working ever since she got back from the Manor; almost six hours. It didn't help that she had been working through lunch as well. Thanks to Malfoy's uninformed holiday, she had on her todo list, sixty patient visits and one minor stitching but a stitching nevertheless. This was excluding the fact that there were two magical emergencies. Although, the other Healers took charge, she still had spent a minimum of twenty minutes making sure she wasn't required and she didn't exactly have that kind of time. Her pity for his condition was slowly changing into annoyance as she ran from room to room talking, analysing and diagnosing and then repeating this in the following room. At times, she had to stop and console hysterical mothers, reassure anxious husbands and play with little children. Although, she was loving it but it humanly impossible for her to finish three people's work in a day. Oh yes, three! Her work, Malfoy's patients and then Healer McAvery who had taken a week-long vacation to the Bahamas.

"Howard, Can you get me the file for room 201?" The klutzy assistant was her general as she marched to war.

A quick spell later (on Howard's part) resulted in her walking towards room 201 with a red folder in her arms. She could hear voices and laughing. She opened the door to find a strange sight. She saw a ten year-old boy giggling and his mother smiling at him fondly. That, of course not, was not what was strange. What was weird was what she saw next. Malfoy. They were laughing at something Malfoy had said. He was good with kids. Who knew?

He looked better than he did when she saw him a couple of hours ago. But, that really wasn't much improvement. He looked pale and worn and tired. Also, he looked like he had never slept in his life which, she thought was somewhat true.

"Ah Healer Granger" He had noticed her at the door.

"Healer Malfoy' she nodded handing him the file on his outstretched hand.

Hermione smiled at the boy. The little boy was mesmerized by the woman in front of him. _"Just how I am,"_ thought Draco, _"...wait WHAT?"_

His internal struggles went by unnoticed however as Hermione did a checkup, talking to Joshua, the patient, the whole time. His smile stayed. She was wonderful with children. Draco, himself, felt a bit faint but nothing unmangeable. He had, once, fought death eaters in a state worse than this. He winced at the memory. _"Way to go Draco."_ he told himself and rolled his eyes.

"Healer? Healer Malfoy?" Hermione broke him out of his reverie quite suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Vitals are normal."

"Brilliant," Draco exclaimed with a grin at which she gave him an odd look, "Joshua, if you stay good like this, you can go home tomorrow!"

"Really?" Joshua asked with eyes filled with excitement.

"Really' he told him.

"Mummy I can go home!" he proudly informed his mother who was beaming back at him. She definitely had tears in her eyes. They were glistening, slightly. He had longed for his parents to look at him like that. They never did. What more was now, his father died in jail and his mother took her first opportunity to leave him behind.

"Malfoy, I thought I told you to rest. Do you have a frequent habit of overdosing and not listening to doctors?" Again, the muggle word he noticed.

"I'm fine Granger."

"You don't look fine." she retorted and he knew she was right. They made for the door, he following her in silence.

"Malfoy, I'll take care of it. Go home. You're not doing yourself any favours staying here. It's all under control."

"That, it is." he surprised her with a compliment...sort off compliment.

"As your doctor, I'm ordering you to go back to bed straight away.

"You're not my Healer, Granger." he rolled his eyes

"Fine, as a person who saved your life, I order you to go to bed."

"I wasn't dying"

"As a person who works with you, I demand that you return home."

"Under, you work under me." Her eyes narrowed._ "Shit move"_

"Draco Malfoy, return to your house or else..." she looked kind of angry._ "Shit. Shit. Shit."_

"Are you threatening me?"

"Problem?" She was angry and especially good with her wand and he did feel quite ill.

"Fine, I'm going but not because of you. I'm not scared of you."

"Oh yea?" she asked dryly.

"Yeaaaa"

"I'm going to come and check!"

She yelled after him as he quickly walked away. Hermione smirked._ "Not scared of me? Pish Posh. That's not even a thing. Like is that even possible? Ron is scared of me. And Harry...I think. What about Gin-"_ Thinking along those lines, Hermione went back to work.

* * *

><p>"HARRY!"<p>

"Ginny! Don't shout in the house!"

"Sorry mum!"

"Whatsup Ginny?" Harry called out.

"Mail!"

Seconds later, he came bounding down the steps, half dressed. Molly saw him and turned around back to work. There was a time, he was a little boy. Oh how he had grown. He came to a screeching halt at the same time as the owl hopped in. It was tired of waiting outside but it refused to give the letter to Ginny. Ginny was laying the table, unconcerned with her back to Harry. He extracted the letter. Was it here? There was a seal on the envelope. The ministry seal. He read the name of the back. Yes! He pumped the air. It was here.

"Why are you so excited about a letter from the Ministry, anyway? You gotta a girlfriend?" she asked dryly.

"What...hmm, no." He replied distractedly.

"Do you-," Ginny turned around and stopped in her tracks, "Harry!," she yelped, "Where are your pants?" And blushed a deep shade of red. Harry turned red too just as Molly yelled, "SUPPER!" which led to a super embarrassed Harry Potter running up the steps in boxers, past his future family-in-law. This was not going to end well.

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><p><strong>10,000+ VIEWS! WOOT WOOT!<strong>

**Thankyou all for favouriting and following the story! I put up all your names on my profile page, even the recent ****ones. Please do tell me if I missed your name. Till next time, review and like and favourite, and keep reading! - Battler Rune**


	21. Visiting Malfoy Manor

**Chapter 21: Visiting Malfoy Manor**

**HOW MUCH DID YOU LOVE THEIR BANTER IN THE ? YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THIS MORE!**

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><p>Hermione went back to her office around ten. Exhausted was an understatement to how she was feeling now but she felt a sort of exhilaration. This is why she joined this job. Saving lives. She absolutely loved how many cases she was responsible for today. She had managed to deal with every single case. She had worked through the hospital like a tornado. The day was almost over. It was time to return hom- oh wait...she slapped herself in the head. She had to visit Malfoy. Ugh.<p>

'I thought school ending was like guaranteeing me that I won't have to see a certain spoilt Slytherin.' she mumbled to herself as she packed her bag. This time, however, she had the good sense to prepare them for her arrival.

She apparated at the gates of the Malfoy Manor to find Twiddles waiting for her.

'Where's Draco, Twiddles?'

'Master Draco is in his room Miss.'

'Did he take a nap? Like I told him to? Did he eat? Lunch? Dinner?'

'Master Draco ate his lunch but he didn't sleep Miss. He fell asleep on half an hour ago Miss. His dinner is ready but he fell asleep before it could be served.'

'He's asleep? Oh, I should probably go back...then...or...Twiddles, could I check out the library for a bit?'

'Would you like me to take you there Miss?'

'Yes please.' She remembered the way but she didn't fancy going there on her own. She wasn't too keen on more work but, she didn't want the trip to the Manor to go waste. Plus, end of the week was approaching; she was going to be too busy with wedding preparations to do this.

It took her 15 minutes to get to the library. All she wanted was to change into her pajamas and after a hot cocoa, go to bed. Yet, here she was, stepping into a secret library in the Malfoy Manor that housed people that had hated her bloodline for centuries to read books on Dark Arts after a long day at work. Ugh.

'If Miss would like Twiddles to do something, she need only call.'

'Yeah, thanks Twiddles!' she nodded; extracting a half read volume from the bookshelf. She settled herself down on the couch, thanking her stars that it was comfortable. Perhaps, it was too comfortable because within an hour's time, she could be found sleeping with the book lying on her stomach.

_Hermione was standing in Hogwarts; she was standing in the battle ground. To her left, Luna was fighting off a particularly nasty Death Eater and to her right Ron was fighting off a tarantula. She was engaged in battle with two death eaters. They were in the Great Hall and it was in a mess. The building around her had collapsed into massive boulders and small particles. Her soul wept seeing her home torn into bits!_

_'AHHAH', one of the death eaters cackled, 'Give up _Mudblood _and I will make it a swift death for you. You cannot survive for long!'_

_He shot a spell at her. The spell shot past her with an inch to spare leaving a trail of blood on her right cheek as a result of the force._

_'HERMIONE!' Seamus ran to her, 'are you alright?' He flicked his wand catching the other death eater by surprise. He was flung to the other end of the room, and hit the wall behind him, collapsing into a heap._

_'Seamus, be careful, okay?'_

_'What?'_

_'Be carefu-…'_

_'SUCTEMSEMPRA'_

_'FIENDFYRE'_

_'SEAMUS!_

_A jet of green and golden intertwined and hit Seamus flat in the chest. He turned pale and then red. His skin began to boil. The Death Eaters had caught up with them. A flash of pale yellow and Hermione heard Luna's body meet the floor with a thud. The tarantula pierced Ron's body with its pincer. A wrecking sob escaped Hermione's lips, 'I'm sorry!'_

_'Granger?' someone called out to her._

_'Hermione?' She looked around trying to identify the person._

'Hermione?'

Hermione's eyes flew open. She found Malfoy leaning over her, shaking her shoulder. She heaved a sigh of relief. I was just a dream.

'Are you alright?' She was still a bit dazed but managed to respond in a nod, 'Come on, we…' Her stomach growled loudly betraying her grace. She smiled sheepishly.

'Let's get something to eat, shall we?' Draco amended what he was going to say earlier, 'Twiddles, please lay dinner for Miss Granger.'

And with a pop, like he came, the house elf was gone.

'What time is it?'

'Half past twelve. This way.' He led the way to the dinner hall. Mention of the time had her wide awake.

'WHAT? Merlin's beard, I ought to be heading home! Draco I couldn't possibly ask for dinner to be laid at this hour. Nope, I'll go home and grab a bite. Don't worry. I really should be off. Dinner being served just for me at midnight is absolutely absurd!'

'Hermione,' he paused, 'I insist. It was quite awful of me to fall asleep when I knew you were going to visit. Let me atone for my sins. Anyway, it won't be just for you. I'll be eating too. Twiddles! Make it dinner for two!'

Hermione burst out laughing on Draco's dramatic monologue while, Twiddles was secretly pleased that his Master would finally eat dinner after months of going to bed without eating . He would have company for dinner at that. It had been a long while since, the Manor's walls had reverberated with the sounds of laughter and conversation.

Dinner was elaborate by Hermione's standards and simple by the standards of the inhabitants of Malfoy Manor. It was a three-course affair – soup, main course and dessert. Hermione was famished and felt glad that Malfoy had asked her to stay. She was in no state to go home and make her dinner. After her dream…more a nightmare – she felt slightly afraid of being alone and siting with Malfoy took her mind off things. They had quiet conversation, generally about the work, the burrow and Draco's health. It wasn't awkward by any standards even though there was silence quite often over the course of the meal.

Towards the end, after taking a bite of the chocolate tart, Hermione spoke up, 'Harry and Ron know about Seamus now. They want to help.'

'Yeah? That's alright but till we don't figure out what to do. There's not much help we need.'

'Malfoy, why didn't you tell Seamus' mum? She thinks he's dead.'

'It took us a long while to figure out it was Seamus. I had only seen him twice, I think, at Hogwarts. She had already left by then. What were to tell her anyway? That her son was suffering and we had no cure. Or that an ex-death eater is the healer working on his case. We don't even who did it.'

Hermione and Malfoy talked for a while and then she took the floo network home. She thanked him and Twiddles profusely for the dinner and they her for joining them. At quarter past two, she entered her room and promptly fell into her bed. She fell asleep immediately.

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><p><strong>10,000+ VIEWS! WOOT WOOT!<strong>

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	22. Brides, Bridesmaids and Best Friends

**Chapter 22: Bride, Bridesmaids and Best friends**

**Day 2 - Tuesday**

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><p>Hermione was thankful for normal dreams this time. She had slept like a log but something, in the back of her mind, was bothering her since the night before. Since before she woke up to the shaking of Draco Malfoy; before she had dinner with Malfoy; since just after she had fallen asleep. What was it? She couldn't figure it out. She had woken up at around nine to the sound of tapping against glass. A majestic tawny owl was repeatedly tapping the window, its feathers ruffled with annoyance. She wanted to leap out of bed and attend to the impatient bird but the warm covers kept her in their their folds and it was a few minutes before she unwillingly slid off the bed. The almost tangible temperature difference forced her limbs out of the deep slumber and she hurried to the window on her toes. As she slid the window open, the owl swooped in, almost hitting her with its wings. It brought in with it, a letter and a whoosh of cold breeze that left her shivering.<p>

'Let's see what you've got.' she mumbled, untying the scroll from its leg.

_**Dear Miss Granger,**_

_**This is inform you that you've been granted a paid leave in accordance with Decree of Mortality issued in 1768. **_

_**Regards,**_

_**Yours Sincerely,**_

_**Draco Malfoy**_

_**Senior Healer, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries**_

_**p.s Granger, thanks for the help yesterday. Dinner was interesting. Take rest. Cheers!**_

Hermione snorted at the cheers. As if Draco Malfoy could be cheerful. He'd given her a holiday. She was smiling at the post script when it struck her. Her eyes grew wide.

'WHAT?!'

She snatched some paper from behind the owl who fluttered and hooted in nervousness at Hermione's sudden furiousness. She scribbled quickly and rolled it up and had it attached to the owl in record time.

_**Dear Mr Malfoy,**_

_**Thank you so much for your consideration. You are most kind.**_

_**Thanking you,**_

_**Yours Truly,**_

_**Hermione Granger **_

_**Healer Under, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries**_

**_p.s __WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU UP TO?!_**

Malfoy started at this horribly rude reply to his almost sweet gesture.

_**Dear Miss Granger,**_

_**You are most welcome. I feel supremely grateful for you help.**_

_**Regards,**_

_**Yours Sincerely,**_

_**Draco Malfoy**_

_**Senior Healer, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries**_

_**p.s Why on earth are you yelling? What are you angry about? About being given a day off? Piss off Granger. Go help Ginny or something.**_

Hermione spluttered. What was she angry about? He was actually nice to her. She cocked her head side-wards contemplatively.

_**Dear Mr Malfoy,**_

_**It's certainly not a problem. Glad to be of service.**_

_**Thanking you,**_

_**Yours Truly,**_

_**Hermione Granger **_

_**Healer Under, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries**_

_**p.s You piss off. Great idea. Thanks**_

He smirked.

_**DM: **So juvenile Granger._

_**HG:** You're wasting paper._

_**DM:** So are you_

_**HG:** Shouldn't you be in bed?_

_**DM:** Mind your own business._

Hermione was thinking of a reply to his last message when the owl hooted angrily and fluttered its wings threateningly. It was its millionth trip back and forth and it was getting annoyed at the frequency of its journey. Before this, for five whole years, it had sat at the Malfoy Manor, taken the occasional letter from London to Paris and then back. It was the only letter it took in weeks and now, this!

'Sorry, little birdy, here eat this. Thanks love. Here you go. Last letter, I promise!' Hermione cooed and cajoled.

_**Malfoy,**_

_**Your bird is annoyed so I promised her this the last delivery.**_

_**Anyway, you should be in bed not gallivanting around the hospital in that condition.**_

_**I'll be at Ginny's if you need me.**_

_**Take care,**_

_**Hermione**_

'Ginnyyy, oh my lovelyyyy' Hermione sang, as she entered the Burrow, in her best impression of Celestia Warbeck. She placed the bags she had brought with her on the counter and gave Molly a hug.

'Ginny will be so delighted to see you!' Molly exclaimed. The burrow was bustling already. All the bridesmaids were there for their dress fittings. Hermione had earlier informed Ginny she wouldn't be able to make it. However, since Malfoy gave her the holiday, she was free to be here.

'Ermione!' Fleur called out to her, shuffling to her in a pink mermaid dress, 'ow are you? I 'ad 'eard you 'ave returned! So great! Bill will be most excited to see you!'

Since Fleur was loud, everyone had heard and they came rushing out to greet her. Girls only.

'HERMIONE! I thought you said you won't be able to make it!' Ginny beamed.

'Oh I know but I got leave from work and since, I really wanted to be here with you, I came straight away!'

'What a coincidence!'

'I know right, what a coincidence...' Hermione's suspicious voice trailed out, her face reflective. '_**Go help Ginny or something'**_

Ginny unaware of what her best friend was thinking of and pulled her into the living room, 'Come on, you're just in time for dress fitting. It is so terrific that you're here. I was afraid your dress would look terrible because you hadn't tried it.'

There Hermione met all the bridesmaids - Luna and Fleur were the only ones she knew. It was lovely to reconnect. She met Ginny's friends from Quidditch - Orpha and Adella, they played with her on the Holyhead Harpies. She was so pleased to see Fleur and Bill's offspring - Victoria who was the flower girl. Hermione was so excited. She tried on a couple of dresses and they all settled on a different coloured chiffon dress for all of the bridesmaids. It was a good choice because no one colour looked good on on the present ladies. Last minute decision on Ginny's dress were made. She had narrowed it down to six dresses, then with Hermione, the other women and Molly they selected one. With the dress they then selected shoes and the veil. While Ginny and her friends decided on their hair and makeup, Hermione sat with Molly and the guest list making a seating plan.

The Daily Prophet and other such newspapers and magazines had sent them proposals for featuring the wedding of the decade in their respective papers. Molly and Hermione narrowed it down to two proposals since that was all Harry agreed to. Both the firms were small and Hermione had just given them the opportunity to go big. So, no Daily Prophet. By the time they finished this, it was almost five. The boys arrived.

'Mum, we're home!' Ron yelled and simultaneously five of the eight hands on the wall clock turned to 'home'. Only one hand pointed elsewhere, 'work' for Arthur Weasley. The girls had packed away their outfits and all of the boys outfits were sent to the room immediately.

'Ron! Oh good you're here. Can we go to the field? I wanted to put up a couple of security measures and I was wondering whether the tables could be put like that?' Hermione started discussing wedding designs with Ron and Harry after giving Hermione a brief but warm hug started playing wizarding chess with his soon-to-be brother in-laws, George, Charlie and Percy. While, Luna parted, and Bill and Fleur retired to their allotted room, Ginny helped her mother set dinner and Ron and Hermione left to inspect the wedding grounds.

The wedding was drawing nearer.

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><p><strong>10,000+ VIEWS! WOOT WOOT!<strong>

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	23. Whodunnit?

**Chapter 23: Whodunit**

**Day 3 - Wednesday**

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><p>'Good morning Healer Malfoy' Hermione chirped<p>

'Good morning...?', Malfoy ended on a suspicious note. She was too happy upon seeing him, 'Good day yesterday, Granger?' He smirked.

'The very best. Thank you!'

'For what?' he said dryly, returning back to the folder he was examining before Hermione walked in.

'You knew it was dress fitting yesterday, didn't you?'

'Ginny might have mentioned it.'

'Yeah I thought so. Thanks anyway'

'Least I could do' He mumbled, walking towards his room. She feel into step next to him.

'So Ginny, huh?'

'Pardon me?'

'Ginny and you are on first name basis now?'

'She doesn't hate me, I guess. Weaselette is pretty cool.'

Hermione smiled. They had reached his office door.

'Later Granger' She nodded stopping outside his door.

He was just about to shut the door behind him when..,'Malfoy?'

'Yeah?'

'There's a small dinner at The Burrow. Would you like to come?'

She noticed his eyes widen a bit.

'I'm not sure they'd want me around, Granger.'

'You're invited for the wedding right?' She asked pointedly

'Hmm'

'So?'

'What?'

'Will you come? If...you want to..that is?'

'I guess'

'Great I'll see you here at 6.'

She skipped off in the direction of her office. Malfoy closed the door behind him, finally, and stood motionless for a couple of minutes, playing the conversation in his head, 'What the hell just happened?!' he exclaimed running his hands through his hair.

'What the hell just happened?' Hermione echoed Malfoy inside her office when she finally realised what she had done.

He looked lonely and so she'd invited him.

_'No biggie', she thought, 'Now what is to be done with you Seamus?'_

Hermione recollected her dream, playing it over and over in her head. It was the dream from the day before and now the details were becoming fuzzy. The death eater and Seamus, all of it still gave her goosebumps. Who was it?

_'Who was it?'_

_'Who was it?'_

_'Who'_

_'was'_

_..._

_'Oh my god!'_

'THAT'S IT'

'MALFOYY!'

'Granger I thought we'd agreed at 6...' He stared at Hermione who'd barged into his room and was now, staring at him with a sort of twinkle in her eye.

'What is it?'

'We need to find out who did it!'

'Who did what?'

'They spell Draco! Who cast the spell on Seamus?!'

Realization dawned on Malfoy.

'But what will that get us?'

'Come on, we're going to see Harry. I'll tell you on the way.'

In a flash of a second, Draco had his coat on and they were hurried down the corridor to the floo network.

'That night, at your place...' she explained her dream to him while, he made sure she didn't bang into anybody. He pulled her away just in time as she missed a helper carrying potions up to the patient.

'Careful Granger', he growled at the sheepish Hermione, he stopped momentarily to talk to another Healer, 'Healer Gregory, we'll be back in a while. Please take care?' He received a nod.

'So you're saying Granger that we're basically going to sweep into the Ministry based on your dream?' He continued walking next to her but spared her an incredulous stare.

'It's not the dream. The dream was my brain's subconscious way of drawing my attention to what I had earlier read. The book I was reading as I fell asleep stated that most dark spells, especially the really bad ones, leave a mark on the caster as well as the one they leave it upon. These spells are so powerful that they can create a rift in the very core of magic itself just by being cast. When I was in America, there was massive debate in relation to temperature rises in the muggle world which caused the Ozone layer to deplete.'

'The Ozone Layer?'

'For Wizards, it's the Magical Protection Spell cast in 12 BC because...'

'Yeah I know, it protects magic and magical beings. What about it?'

'Well the Muggles thought it was depleting because of their pollution but actually, it was because of the increased use of dark magic that created the rift. All the dark magic cast during the war contributed majorly to the tear in the MPS.'

'What's it got to do with Seamus?'

'Honestly, I'm not sure but I think we should talk to Harry. I think the castor and his wand have a lot to do with how we can help Seamus.

'But what are we going to tell Potter?'

By the time, they had arrived to the floo chambers and they each took a chimney to take them to the Ministry of Magic. They reached their destination in a few seconds after that. The ministry had changed alot. The abominable statue of wizards standing on muggles that the Death Eaters had established had been pulled down. It was replaced by a goblet, similar to the one used during the Triwizard Tournament, only much larger. It was spitting golden fire which formed the faces of those who'd laid down their lives to take down Voldemort. She saw a couple of faces but she recognized only one.

Under the goblet, there was a plaque which said: _'It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.' - To all those who heroes who sacrificed themselves so that we could freely remember them today: The Second Wizarding War ( 24th June 1995 - 2 May 1998)._

'Dumbledore said that...' Hermione whispered nostalgically

'Sorry?'

'Hmm..nothing'

The bell for the lift tinged and they got into the empty one. Hermione bent down just in time to save herself from an incoming flying invoice. They were joined by a pudgy gentlemen who gave them a nod.

'Level One' the cool female voice called out. Hermione shivered as the events of the last visit flooded her mind. A woman with red hair cascading down her back joined them. She eyed Draco, smirking.

'Level Two'. They got off and Draco was on the receiving end of a flirty wink from the redhead. He raised an eyebrow and then smirked in response. Hermione huffed, watching the exchange, turned around and made for the Auror department.

Harry's office was hard to miss. It was the epitome of calmness in the frenzy of the Auror department. It was made purely of Mahagony and it was fairly new because one, she had never seen it in her previous visits to the Ministry; and two, because it did not match the other décor in the least.

The department itself reminded Hermione of some of the movies she had watched in America. They were situated in the Stock Exchange and it looked a lot like the scene before her. People were talking loudly with one another, relaying news of criminal activity. Interdepartmental memos swooped in and out as they were received, forwarded and sent. The memos had little concern for anyone as they flew around; the aurors instead twisted and turned just in time to avoid being stabbed by the magical parchment. A shackled felon was being marched towards the courts, two burly wand holding Aurors goading him on. A much slimmer, shorter Auror walked behind them.

'What have you got their, Frank?' a young man with a wheatish complexion called out to the passing troupe.

'Using magic to burgle squibs. See you later!' he responded to which all those who heard laughed. The burglar narrowed his eyes at the laughter, stalking past Hermione. She swerved her head watching them go. They stopped at a desk set outside Harry's room.

'Is Harry in?' Hermione questioned the young woman siting on the desk. She was scribbling away and didn't bother to look up.

'Do you have an appointment?' she asked in a flat tone.

'We don't need one.' Draco jut in, thoroughly annoyed by the insolence, 'It would be better if you got up and informed Potter of our presence. He wouldn't like her waiting.' He finished curtly. He was smooth and commanding. He wasn't a Death Eater but that didn't mean he wasn't a Malfoy and Malfoy's command respect.

The woman's head shot up, flustered to see Hermione Granger and an annoyed Draco Malfoy gazing at her intently. Without a word, she stepped around the desk and swept her hand in a beckoning gesture. She lead them to the front door of Harry's office and knocked.

'Come in' a muffled voice called from inside. The secretary pushed open the door and stuck her head in informing Harry of his visitors. Seconds later, she ushered them in.

'Hermione!' Harry greeted her with a warm smile, 'Draco' he nodded shaking his hand.

'Hi Harry!'

'Potter'

'To what do I owe this pleasure? Everything alright?'

'Well Harry…' Hermione explained what she had realized to Harry, who listened intently. Draco sat half-listening, his eyes warily roaming around the office. Hermione had noticed his change in demeanor. While, she regularly saw him high strung, it was still less stiff than he was at that moment. As soon as she had mentioned the Ministry, he had closed up, talking even lesser than usual. His hands, she noticed as she talked, were clenched and his back was ramrod straight - uncomfortable was an understatement, he looked positively tortured.

'Hermione, I've been looking into Seamus' case too and I have news. I was going to share with you at dinner so it's good you came.' Hearing this Draco's ears perked up. He returned his complete attention to Potter.

'What is it Harry?' she asked nervously. Harry, she could tell from being his best friend for years, looked slightly pale. Malfoy observed the subtle connection between the two, surprised when Potter looked at him anxiously.

'Malfoy..' he started, 'this information should remain absolutely confidential. You cannot tell anyone. You understand?'

Malfoy jerked his head in a confirmatory way, confused at Harry's change in manner.

'I am trusting you with this but I am really begging you not to overreact. Don't lose it?'

'Harry, what is going on?' Hermione's concerned voice echoed in the office as evidence that a non verbal _muffliato_ had been cast.

'Malfoy your father is alive.' Harry said it quickly as if peeling off a band-aid. Hermione gasped but Malfoy remained silent. His face turned pale and he looked dazedly at Harry, as if unable to comprehend what he was saying.

'He…his death was faked', he continued to hesitantly, watching for any signs of expression from Malfoy, 'We were using his knowledge to gather the last of the Death Eaters and to prevent another uprising. To protect him and our mission, we started the rumour of his death. He agreed to let us lie to the world. He's been…'

Harry was interrupted when Malfoy upped and left slamming the door behind him.

'Oh' a slight puff of air escaped from Hermione's open mouth as she stared shell-shocked at where moments ago, Draco Lucius Malfoy had sat.

* * *

><p><strong>Who expected THAT? <strong>

**Thank you all for favouriting and following the story! I put up all your names on my profile page, even the recent ones. Please do tell me if I missed your name. Till next time, review and like and favourite, and keep reading! - Battler Rune**


	24. All the King's horses

**Chapter 24: All the King's horses**

**Day 3 - Wednesday (Part 2) - countdown to the ****wedding**

**'Humpty dumpty sat on a wall**

**Humpty dumpty had a great fall**

**All the king's horses and all the king's men**

**Couldn't put Humpty back together again...'**

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><p>Draco's legs had carried him to the gates of the Ministry when Harry's words actually sunk in. Before his feelings could overwhelm him, he apparated to the Malfoy manor. He landed on the front door and went in, slamming the door behind him…again. He had entered into the living room. He looked at the décor: the stupid cream cushions and the ugly grey curtains.<p>

Suddenly, he couldn't suppress it any further: his anger. It filled him up like when firewhisky was poured to fill a glass. He felt like he was about to blow; like his glass was about to overflow. In blaze he pulled down the curtains from the window. A loud clanging noise later, he flung them on the floor. He screamed. His picked up the cushions and pulled them apart, the seams ripping and the cotton oozing out. He picked up the vase and threw it on the floor. It shattered into a million tiny pieces. The noise was continuous as the shattering noise of glass was followed by the clatter and thud of the table he had pushed over as it toppled over to the floor.

'WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!' He shrieked.

'WHY?'

His legs buckled from under him

'WHY?'

He landed on his knees

'Why?' he whispered

His anger abandoned him, like his parents had - leaving him with his loneliness. A sob escaped his lips. Lonely is what he'd always been. He should have been used to it by now. He was alone at Hogwarts, at the Manor, at St Mungo's, at the bar where he occasionally took a drink. He liked the muggles better now. They remained normal around him, unaware that once he had worked tirelessly for their end. It wasn't like he had, had a choice but no matter the excuses; the truth was that he had been one of the Death Eaters. He hadn't been branded but the truth was out there: in the open. Muggles smiled at him as he passed by; they offered him help when he dropped his things; when they said 'it was nice to meet you', they meant it. When wizards saw him, they had only three expressions – disgust, fear and pity. He didn't want any of this. For all he could care, Harry could have sent him to the Azkaban and left him there but he hadn't. He had allowed Draco and his mother to be set free. He had befriended him. He had let his things remain. So for the next five years, Draco paid for his sins. He was still paying. He would keep paying for the rest of his life. He had spent one half of his life collecting sins and he would spend the other half atoning them.

However, he still didn't mind it that much. He would manage. He would do it alone. He was relieved, however, that his father was dead. He was happy, almost, that Lucius Malfoy had been removed from the face of the earth. That he had taken his filthy existence ten feet under the earth. He hadn't attended the funeral. Almost nobody had. Like him, they too could not stand his presence. It didn't bother him. He couldn't care less about the 'father' who had led to his son being hated by the entire wizarding population. His father had never cared about him. Perhaps, once when he was born a boy and not a girl, Lucius had celebrated. That was all. He never praised him; never encouraged him; never taught him; never washed his limbs; never played with him; never read to him; never fed him; never talked to him apart from when he scolded him, taunted him or gave him a task that would put his life in danger. Not having a father was better than Lucius Malfoy.

In his sixth year, at the mere age of sixteen, when most Wizard children worry about studies and looks, Draco was worried about the possible death of his father if he failed the task thrust upon him. He was forced to plan the eventual death of the man under whose supervision he had grown up under: Dumbledore. Granted he always undermined the headmaster but like everything else about Draco at that time, this was a show. He had nothing but utter respect for his former headmaster. He was scarred for life.

Harry's statement earlier had taken away from Draco the one thing that gave him happiness. The one think that calmed the fire in his chest. It was the only thing right thing that had happened to him. The only thing that he had wholeheartedly accepted and that, too, Harry had snatched away from him. The truth was that Draco Malfoy hated his father.

Draco's sobbing came to an eventual stop. He back against the sofa for hours staring blankly at the nothing in particular. He felt empty. He looked dead. Twiddles came several times trying to rouse his master but received no recognition. Draco just stared. Apart from Twiddles, no one came, not even his mother.

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><p>Hermione had just left Harry's office, her head whirling under the barrage of information that Harry had provided her with. He was later joined by Kingsley and they both tried their best to convince Hermione that the decision was for the best but of course she wasn't convinced.<p>

'You out of all people should know Harry how that feels!' She had said and Harry had enough sense to look shamefaced. He understood Hermione's arguments but there was nothing that could be done.

She had been in the Ministry for hours and now that she was free, she slowly walked out of it. Her thoughts slowly drifting to the blonde man who had stalked out of the office earlier; how was he? She considered what to do…should she visit him? Should she give him the space? He was alone with no one but the house elf to care for him. Twiddles could only do so much, despite his love and care for Draco, before he was ordered away. She decided to go. She landed in front of Malfoy Manor and Twiddles guided her to where Malfoy was.

'Draco?' the front door creaked as it swung open. She gasped. The whole place was in disarray. It was a mess. There sitting on the floor was Malfoy. He didn't hear her come in it seemed or he didn't care enough to acknowledge her presence. She carefully walked over to him trying to avoid the damaged goods that splayed in her path. She knelt down next to him.

'Draco? Are you alright?' she let out a humourless chuckle, 'That was a stupid question, I know. I know what they did was wrong. It was so wrong. I told Harry that. It was a stupid idea. God! Who came up with this idea in the first place? Draco? Are you listening? Draco?' she tried again.

She hesitated for a split second, unsure of what to do. Then, she lightly touched his shoulder. For a moment she thought he didn't notice her. Suddenly, he flinched and his icy grey stare turned to her. Taken aback, she tried to smile. He turned away.

'I'm sorry, Draco. It's going to be alright. Promise!' she half-whispered, extending her arm towards him. Abruptly, his hand caught hers in mid-air and he squeezed it hard. She thought her arm would drop off. She squirmed.

'Ah Draco! It hurts!'

His voice was flat and emotionless. His eyes were full of hatred. His grip was tight and his nails buried into her skin. 'Don't touch me Mudblood!'

Her mouth opened into an 'o' as he threw her hand away from himself. He got up and left leaving her on kneeling on the floor, clutching her arm in pain. She couldn't look away from where he had sat not a moment ago. When she did look away, she saw a nail marks left onto her skin not inches away from the scar she had received at this house: mudblood.

Hermione sat there for a few minutes, gathering herself. Then she rose and went back to work.

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><p><strong>I would like to thank a 'guest' who left a review but I couldn't thank them personally.<strong>

**What do you guys think? Big development, right? Any ideas? Tell me how you feel!**

**Thank you all for favouriting and following the story! I put up all your names on my profile page, even the recent ones. Please do tell me if I missed your name. Till next time, review and like and favourite, and keep reading! - Battler Rune**


	25. Thursday Blues

**Chapter 25: Thursday blues**

**Day 4 - Thursday - countdown to the ****wedding**

**loivissa17 - Yes! He really does things he shouldn't. Bad boy! I suppose that's what makes him attractive! Hope you enjoy what happens next!**

**hilda-gatita - Your review really put a smile on my face. Thank you! I am so please you love it! You shall see what happens but don't worry, I won't keep them apart for too long. Et voila, the next chapter!Enjoy! :D**

**Guest on All The King's Horses - Thank you! Glad you enjoyed!**

**Guest on Whodunnit - Do keep reading! Cheers! :)**

Honestly, all your reviews make writing so much more worthwhile. Thank you also to the people who favourited and followed Helping Draco. I am not that sophisticated so I am getting giddy with delight. I love you all. xox

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><p>Malfoy hadn't turned up for work the day before, right after the fiasco at Harry's office. Hermione sighed and looked at herself in the mirror: A white blouse thrown on top of an old pair of jeans and a cardigan. It had been raining again all morning. It was perpetually raining in London. Hermione was angry with Malfoy for his behavior but she was also secretly pleased with some of the information Harry had shared with her. It would help her work out a game plan on how to heal Seamus.<p>

She walked over to her kitchen counter and put the kettle on boil, then she extracted the paper she had been working on, recalling what Harry had told her.

Lucius had run away from the war towards the end after Harry's reincarnation – that much Hermione had seen. He had whisked his family away and wanted nothing more to do with Voldemort. After the light won the war, they rounded up the last of the Malfoys because even though they didn't want to be associated with Voldemort, they had been consorting with him for the longest time, offering him protection and shelter under the Malfoy Manor.

Things had fallen apart for them when Lucius fell out of favour with the Dark Lord and though he always meant for Draco to join him in serving the Lord, he couldn't imagine his only heir dying for the cause he no longer believed in. It was not 'love' for Draco, as most would imagine instead he didn't want to lose the only child who would carry on the Malfoy legacy. That and his character of self-preservation meant they walked out of the war as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

The Gryffindors called them cowards but the Slytherins prided in their innate desire to stay alive. They had no interest in being heroic or sacrificing. So, as soon as the Malfoys were put on trial, Lucius Malfoy begged to be kept out of Azkaban in exchange for information, just like Igor Karkaroff had once done. The process of eliminating of the Death Eater network was a long and complicated process and the news of Lucius being a traitor was spreading fast among his former pals, putting his life and the Ministry's operation in danger. It had become imperative to keep Sr. Malfoy alive and so a fake death story was concocted. Thus, the operation continued under extreme secrecy and most people involved in the midst of the plan had taken the Unbreakable Vow.

Four out of five years since the war, his family too thought Lucius was dead. His wife who had been strong during the war suddenly became withdrawn. The hate from the people, and the death of her husband was too much for her to take and although she and her son had been acquitted on all accounts, with the Golden trio themselves vouching for them, she became a recluse. The death of her husband followed her moving to Paris to her mother and father and leaving Draco in charge of the Manor and to face the Wizarding world alone.

Lucius had also been employed in another purpose that Harry himself had started. As a wizard, Lucius was extremely powerful, as Harry himself had noted several times before, and had an intricate knowledge of the Dark Arts. He was given the task, along with a group of notable spell experimenters, to create stronger spells for defense. The creation of one particular spell, which Harry had personally involved himself with, was a spell that could undo the effects of certain spells – perhaps not the killing curse but other much less long-lasting spells. Harry had, had this idea ever since he had seen the connection between his wand and that of Voldemort. He felt like it would prove productive to look into this kind of magic that splits the very essence of magic. The ones that Hermione had earlier that day talked about with Malfoy. It was crucial to find a way to restore the balance of light spells and dark spells, thus restoring the MPS.

It was all very complex. However, Hermione was glad things were finally underway to help Seamus.

'He was still only twenty three' Hermione mused. She was puzzled why her thoughts kept returning to the one man that she felt immeasurable rage towards. 'Hell, I am only twenty three!' she exclaimed to no one in particular. She was feeling slightly weary. Only three days into the week and so much had happened. This was when the wedding was yet to come. She sighed one last time as if preparing herself for what was to come. She apparated to the hospital after finishing the last of her breakfast and tucking the papers in her bag.

The hospital looked more morose than usual. The white walls usually depressing, looked sickly yellow instead. The drab grey floor was damp in places and the crevices were uncommonly black and grimy. Hermione grimaced as she stepped into a puddle, the bottom of her jeans getting wet owing to the splash she created. She shook her foot trying to get rid of the water, accidentally almost tripping over an empty potions bottle lying around.

'Careful Hermione!' a bumbling, rotund woman plodded to her. She had a concerned look on her face.

'Thanks Greta. I'm fine. What's going on today? The hospital is a mess!'

Greta nodded sympathetically. 'The cleaner passed away this morning.'

'Oh no! What happened?'

'I would like to say natural causes because he was 148 but, unfortunately, he spilt some horrible potion on himself while cleaning. Gruesome really!'

Hermione blanched. 'That's terrible!' It **was **really terrible. So far, the day wasn't seeming to get any better. She remembered the cleaner. She saw him mostly on days she worked late. The first time she had seen him in the cafe he used a nonverbal spell to hover the chairs and place them on the table by themselves. He was probably overworked because she had rarely known him to make mistakes. Like Filch at Hogwarts, St Mungo's only had one cleaner. It would probably be a while before they would get a new cleaner. Greta's wand beeped. Hermione picked up the bottle she had tripped on and tucked it in her bag, making a mental note to dispose of it, later. For now, something struck her. She moved her plan into action.

'Greta? Would you like to have lunch today?

'I don't see why not! I'll see you at two, Hermione?' she replied hurriedly, waving her wand in a complicated gesture.

'That'll be lovely'

'I have to be off now Hermione, there just so many emergencies to take care off! Honestly, I don't understand how grown men can't brew potions without blowing themselves up!' she muttered as she shuffled down the corridor. Her voice floated up to Hermione who couldn't help but giggle. She went through the corridor, passing by several Healers who she greeted and had small chats with. By the time, she reached her room, she was feeling slightly better. Only slightly though.

'Hermione?'

'Yes Howard?'

'Miss Sara's relatives are here.'

'Brilliant! I'll be right there Howard. Thanks!'

Hermione accio-ed the file for the concerned patient. It was a young lady, who had been in the hospital for a week now, because her sister's son had hurt her in his outburst of uncontrolled magic. She had formed a sweet sort of friendship with her. Her name was Sara. She had a family - a devoted husband, a loving sister, doting parents and a nephew, who although had hurt her had done so unintentionally and, who was rather affectionate towards his only aunt. Hermione felt slightly alone, as she stepped into the room to find Sara's family surrounding her. It was rather noisy. It was substantially happy.

'Hello everyone, it's great to see you all here!' Hermione addressed the family, beaming at them, and then proceeding to take a pre-discharge check-up.

'Hello, Healer Granger! We're taking Sara out for lunch as soon you discharge her. She did say that the hospital food was rather bland' Miss Taia, Sara's sister spoke up.

'Yes, I am afraid that true', she smiled, 'So, all done, you can take her now. Good luck Sara. Be careful!'

'Thanks Hermione.'

'No problem, it was my job. Now, I'll take your leave, I have some work. Good day to you all!'

She left to a chorus of 'thankyous' and 'good days'. Hermione was turning around the corridor, pouring into a file when she slammed into someone. The file overturned and fell to the floor, hitting it with a clatter. Hermione flailed as she was pushed backwards by the collision. She prepared her bum to be sore for a few days, using her hands to brace herself. She shut her eyes. The fall never came. Instead, she felt an arm wrap itself around her waist. She stood motionless for a couple of seconds and when she was sure she was not going to fall, she opened her eyes slowly. It was Malfoy.

'Let go!' she exclaimed, pushing herself away and stumbling. She was about to fall when she grabbed a protruding window frame and steadied herself.

'You should be-'

Malfoy never got to finish his sentence because Hermione rushed away in such a hurry that she left her file behind. He sighed and picked up the folder, then, followed her.

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><p>'You left your fil-' and again he was interrupted, only to find Hermione's wand on his throat.<p>

'Get. Out' She enunciated every word. The wand was only rammed further into Draco's throat. Her grip on the wand was vice-like: her knuckles had turned white with the strength.

'Hermio-'

'Don't call me THAT! Call me Mudblood, why won't you Mal-foy!' she spat, baring her teeth. Malfoy raised his hands in surrender.

'I said, Get OUT MALFOY!' her voice travelled from quiet to a scream making him wince.

He took a step towards her, her wand creating a painful hole in this neck. 'I just want to talk.'

'I don't want to talk to you Malfoy' she said irately, her eyes seemed to be on fire, 'so I would advise you to get the hell out of my office or-'

'Hermione, lower your wand.' he ignored her threat. Her eyes bored into him, her lips pressed into a thin line and her hand clutched into her side. Her wand hand remained pointed to his face. He stood his ground. It would seem that they had reached an impasse because they stood stationary for what seemed like hours. Hand jerked downwards once. Then, shakily she returned it to her side. She turned to her side, facing away from him.

'Now, that was-' and for a third time Malfoy never finished what he was going to say as he didn't notice a hand fly towards his face till it a hard blow, thew him backwards. The wind was knocked out of him and sudden pain erupted in face. A 'oomph' and a crack later, blood spurted out of his nose. There was no one to tend to him as Hermione stormed out of the office. He saw stars in the daylight, reminding him eerily of the last time Hermione had broken his nose. His mouth tasted like shit: or more accurately of blood, which tasted like shit. He dug his pockets for the 'kerchief. A soft 'gommon' escaped his lips. 'Come on' he meant but talking wasn't the easiest thing with a broken nose. Finding the handkerchief he stuck it in his nose and then proceeded to search his pocket for the wand. It had fallen out. He sat down on his knees, precariously balancing the napkin on his face while groping around for the wand on the floor. He crawled a little bit, trying to find it without looking because his head was facing the ceiling. He came across an end of wood and pulled. Thankfully, it was his wand. 'Ebishkey' Nothing happened. Perhaps, it was time non-verbal magic. He heard a crack, similar to the one that was followed by his nose being broken, and he whimpered as his bone went back to its original place. A 'scrougify' later, he could gO look for Hermione.

It was still raining yet, he found her outside on the pavement, thoroughly soaked. She had pulled her legs close to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her chin rested on her knees. Draco felt ashamed.

'I probably deserved that.' He said, joining her on the pavement. As he folded his legs the water stung his wounds and him in general. It seemed to be lashing out at them and their incompatibility. She nodded. 'Perhaps even more.' he sighed. She nodded again. 'I'm sorry'. Pregnant pause.

It didn't look like she had heard him

'I'm sor-' She nodded, '-ry'

'I hate you' she whispered

He nodded.

She was emotionally spent. 'You wanna have lunch?' he asked getting up, offering her his hand.

She slowly moved her head towards him, squinting against the rain. 'I'm having lunch with Greta'

'We'll figure something out.' He shook his hand in front of her. She took it and they returned inside.

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><p><strong>I would like to thank a 'guest' who left a review but I couldn't thank them personally.<strong>

**What do you guys think? Big development, right? Any ideas? Tell me how you feel!**

**Thank you all for favouriting and following the story! I put up all your names on my profile page, even the recent ones. Please do tell me if I missed your name. Till next time, review and like and favourite, and keep reading! - Battler Rune**


	26. Love or Hate?

**Chapter 26: Love or hate?**

**Day 4 - Thursday - countdown to the ****wedding (contd.)**

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><p><strong>I am so sorry guys! I finished this chapter two days ago but somehow I didn't update it. Yikes. Here it is:<strong>

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><p>Hermione quietly plodded her wet self back inside, in tow with Draco. She looked disgruntled. It was turning out to be a bad day. The wet strands of her hair were stuck to her face and the sides of her neck. Her clothes looked unflattering. She only realised this when passing a glass door. A glance at the door resulted in a loud 'Ugh'. Which was followed by Draco turning around and looking at her curiously.<p>

_'He looks cute even when he's wet. What the hell!' _she thought, then blushing when she noticed his eyes on her. '_Did I say that aloud?'_

She quickly cast a drying spell receiving and approving nod from Draco who then did the same for himself.

'Where do you wanna eat?' he asked her looking up at something in the distance.

'I told you, I already had plans fo-'

'I think that plan is going to fall through.'

As if on cue, a queue of patients floated in with emergency siren filling the hall. In the distance, Healer Greta was running in. She looked over the patients and noticed Hermione. She made an apologetic face gesturing towards the quickly lining up patients. Hermione nodded understandingly with a small sigh. Her plans fell through.

'So what do you wanna eat?'

'I don't know. Maybe I'll get something from the cafeteria...'

He wrinkled his nose, still watching the commotion in the front hall. 'That stuff tastes like cardboard. Let's go to Diagon Alley'

'It's work hour.'

'It's lunch. Anyways, we're taking a break to eat not party. Come on.'

'Malfoy...' she whinnied

'You promised' he stated, finally looking at her, his grey eyes boring into her brown ones.

'Fine'

'So what do you want to eat?'

'I don't know...something hot...I guess...' in response she shivered

Draco's eyes brightened for a moment. 'I know a place! Come on.'

They arrived in an inner street about 10 minutes later. Hermione had never been here before. But, it had been a while anyway since she had come to Diagon Alley for anything. The street looked new and several shops lined the street. It was still raining but anti-water charms kept the shoppers and diners protected from the onslaught of the weather. It was like a transparent dome and the raindrops echoed as it hit the magical barriers. They walked silently side by side as Hermione was too engrossed looking around. A cute gift store caught her eye and she tried to remember it's name when her eyes fell on a bookshop called Purebloods and Muggles. Hermione stopped looking at their selection: propped up against the front window were muggle classics with magical covers.

She cocked her head to one side, 'Where are weee?'

'New addition to Diagon Alley. Muggle-born wizards are trying to introduce Wizards to all things Muggle. Trying to reduce the differences. So that knowledge of Muggles isn't restricted to those who take Muggle Studies.'

She gaped. 'Is it working?'

'I'm here, aren't I?,' he almost smiled, 'Come on, we'll come back. We're almost there anyway.'

She unwillingly continued walking, scrutinizing the shops.

'Here it is.'

She turned to look at what he was talking about. To her left, there was a tall red door. Her eyes traveled up to the a red and black billboard which said Momoshima. Suddenly, a wizard in black robes appeared.

'Table for?'

'Two'

'Come this way sir, madam'

They were led into a cozy, cafe sort of setting. They were seated on a two people table, across from one another. Even though it was a weekday, the cafe looked full. Trays full of food floated around to their destinations. Waiters took orders with magic quills. The menus were merged with table, appearing when customers sat down.

'Chinese?' she asked

'I've discovered it to be the best in this time of weather.' he replied scanning his menu. She looked at her menu too. It seemed that they had decided because a large ping echoed from their table and a waiter immediately appeared. Hermione looked startled and Malfoy ordered while she recovered. Then she asked for a broth for herself. When the waiter left, awkward silence prevailed. They were deliberately trying to avoid each others eyes. Hermione's eyes floated back to what happened in the past few days. She turned her gaze from the words on the wall to the person sitting across the table. Her eyes bore into him as she noticed the subtle changes. His skin wasn't as sallow as when she had first seen him but she knew that he hadn't been sleeping well: his eyes were drawn and short of being bloodshot. He could feel her eyes on him. Finally, he sighed and looked straight at her.

'Why did you bring me here?' she croaked

'To eat?'

'No why did you bring this Mudblood here?' the couple on the table next to her quietened and looked at them warily. Draco winced.

'What I said...was...an accident Granger.'

'hmm' she murmured looking away to the food which was currently floating towards them. They ate in silence and in her mind, Hermione agreed that the food was better in this weather. She no longer felt an oncoming cold, a result of sitting in the rain. When the bill arrived, Hermione placed half the money without asking him, and without waiting for him, got up and left. He hurriedly put the rest of the money on the table and rushed behind her. She had gone quite the way so he raced after her pushing past people.

'Hermione! Hermione wait! Hermione stop!' he grabbed her hand and pulled when he finally reached her.

'Don't fucking touch me.' he let go

'Let's take a walk.'

'No, I have to get back.'

'Hermione please' he looked at her pleadingly. Her curiosity won. She started walking. He led her to a small park on their right complete with a body of water and waterfalls and trees and Hermione was sure she saw a glimpse of a couple snogging behind the bush. Disgusted, she marched even faster till she was inches away from the water. If she had been less hostile, she would have noticed the beauty but anger clouded her senses. She stared ahead unseeingly.

'Talk.'

One look at Hermione and he knew she wasn't going to budge so he sat down on the ground next to her, tugging at the grass as he began relaying his truth.

'I'm a Malfoy,' he laughed bitterly, 'and Malfoy's are supposed to be regal and superior. I never was. I never was what my father wanted me to be. I was second in class to a muggle born. Someone who was born into a life without magic as compared to myself who was taught to control magic from even before I could remember. I failed that way.

I was not the youngest wizard to ever be selected for the quidditch team. I was second to the Dark Lord's enemy. A child who was half-blood; who had lived with Muggles all his life. I was second to someone who had sat on a broom only once even when I owned the best broom and had a quidditch coach all for myself at home.

I was lesser scum than a Weasley. He was the Savior's best friend, a fantastic keeper and he was bloody popular. I wasn't. He had friends who loved him even though he was a right idiot. I didn't. I didn't even command people well enough. I couldn't match up with a blood traitor. I was a loser.

I failed to make friend's with Harry Potter on the first day. I failed my task. I was a stupid child.

I lost in a duel to Potter

I lost the snitch to harry in second year and I was the reason why Slytherin lost to Gryffindor that year

I got injured by a hippogriff and shamed the family. I was an embarrassment to the Malfoy name.

I got slapped by a muggle born.

I was turned into a ferret in public.

I couldn't kill Albus Dumbledore.

I failed class.

I failed at two different assassination attempts almost killing two students.

I couldn't save Crabbe

My list of failures is endless. I was a failure Hermione...I have been...all my life.' He croaked. Hermione's stiff position softened but she continued to stare into the distance. 'My father never loved as a father ought to. My father only used me to save our grace with the Dark Lord' he scoffed, 'I was an heir and that's all.  
>I was never good enough for him.' He buried his face in his hands.<p>

'After the war, when my father was put in jail, I felt liberated for the first time. Being a Death Eater had opened my eyes to the truth. I've seen more than one professor die before my eyes. Granted I never respected them but I knew them. I couldn't kill. It was cruel. Blood is no test of ability. You were the brightest witch and still not a pureblood. Potter defeated the Dark Lord and he wasn't a pureblood.

It's been five years since the war. Five but it feels like a lifetime. I've been a healer for less than two years and patient after patient has rejected me. Asked for a new healer. Asked me to leave as if I were there to assassinate and not to heal. People on the street avoid me, whisper behind my back, throw looks, and sometimes even curse me when I'm not looking. I've been admitted seven times after the war. Seven times people have sent curses at me because of who I  
>am. Because I'm a Malfoy. And then there's you.' Hermione looked at him surprised.<p>

'They don't know you. Yet, when the war ended and you disappeared people hoped you'd return. They held vigils and talked about you and taught their  
>children about you and reminisced about you. You are a muggleborn. I'm a Pureblood. The truth is out there. Blood rarely doesn't matters.<p>

I say rarely because I'm twenty one years: I have no friends. No family. My father was in jail. He was said to have died and I was happy about it. My mother is  
>gone. And I live in a house where people were tortured. I sit alone on a table of 80 people when I sit for dinner. I was wrong. Lucius was wrong and I hate him for what he made me believe. In my case blood matters because having Lucius' blood has made my life living hell. I wish he was dead.' He finished with such hatred that Hermione's heart clenched. He was his father.<p>

'I'm truly sorry Hermione that I called you...you a mudblood. Not just for that day but for every time. It's what my father made me: a coward and an idiot. I was a pathetic. Still am. I just...I wish..ugh..I wish I still had someone who'd knock some sense into me. I wish Snape were still alive.' He sighed morosely

Wide eyed Hermione looked at the man who had lost everything - she realized. She sat down on one knee and wrapped her hands around him. 'I know what Harry did was wrong, Draco. But it'll be alright. I promise.'

For once, Draco didn't push away whatever Hermione was giving him. Was it pity? Support? He didn't know. He just pretended that for that moment that he wasn't alone.

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><p><strong>I had a serious writer's block with this part of the chapter! Finally it's overr! Yay! What did you guys think? I was also hoping you guys could check out my other stories - I'm especially proud of Life's Love Lost - it's about Hermione so please check it out!<strong>

**Now to the reviews:**

**hilda-gatita : Thank you for the review! That's lovely! Hahah, I hope this was sufficient? We're coming closer to love and moving away from hate. Don't you worry! Keep reading xoxo**

**Honoria Granger (Childhood Ties) - Actually, I'm quite sure she hasn't. There was no follow-up regarding the necklace nor the cabinet by Hermione. However, what I meant was that Borgin had never seen a member of the Golden Trio so close (almost touching) him. He had never been threatened by them at close quarters. I hope it answers your question. Keep Reading xoxo!**

**Honoria Granger (Healer Under 2)- Haha, yes, Healer Schmuck. I guess like most Harry Potter names, this one has a deeper meaning. Sorry, names isn't really one of my strong points. Hope you're liking the story so far though! Any suggestions? Thanks for reviewing :) xoxo**

**Thank you all for favouriting and following the story! I put up all your names on my profile page, even the recent ones. Please do tell me if I missed your name. Till next time, review and like and favourite, and keep reading! - Battler Rune**


	27. Bachelor and Bachelorette

**Chapter 27 - Bachelors and Bachelorettes**

_Before I begin, I just wanted to tell you guys about what happened to me day before. I was looking for a Fanfiction to read when I came across a story that sounded nice enough. When I started reading it I realised that it had been copied almost word to word from a proper story that I had read before (Including the names of all the characters the original writer had made up). I feel extremely bad for the original author and I really hope that there is no one who is/ will be doing the same to me. I know that we are not published authors, and have never tried to be but every chapter that you see before yourselves (although I admit is not perfect) has gone through an extensive thought process. To blatantly copy is to disregard my/ the author's human effort to produce an engaging and original story. I realise that no story might be completely original and we are of course continuing/ rewriting something that has already been written however, the difference is made by the story telling and if you, yourself have no story to tell then why are you writing one? What exactly is the purpose of writing/ copying?_

_Anyway, here ends my rant._

_Welcome to back to VihaGupta95_

_Enjoy! _

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><p>Twiddles was surprised and pleased to find his master in high spirits for the first time in months; years even. Draco too was mildly unsure to what he should be attributing his almost jolliness to. When finding himself still tingling from where Hermione had held him, he then received a fair idea of the reason behind his new found cheerfulness. He had eagerly gobbled up a plate of freshly made pancakes followed by a strong and aromatic coffee. He glanced at the Daily Prophet to find his exhilaration ebbing away. His eyes widened in horror at the headlines that graced the cover of the paper and even he, with all this Malfoy poise, couldn't contain the small gasp that escaped his lips as he noticed the picture underneath.<p>

**'War Heroine and Death Eater: A Romance**

_War heroine, Hermione Granger and former (or so claims) Death Eater, Draco Malfoy were spotted together yesterday in Diagon Alley sharing a romantic lunch together. The 21-year-olds seemed to have found solace in each others arms (literally!) when they were spotted to have had a lunch date in the recently popularizing Muggle themed restaurant called Momoshima established in 2000 in the new extension: Muggle Street in Diagon Alley. The couple then proceeded to enjoy the scenic view together where Malfoy was heard saying 'I'm sorry' repeatedly to an anguished Hermione Granger._

_Hermione Granger is none other than the best friend of Harry Potter who disappeared after the end of the war surrounded by mysterious circumstances. Sources say that she had not disappeared but had been held inside the Malfoy Manor till such time as Harry Potter and his friends vouched for his innocence during the infamous Death Eater trial during which his father was convicted and sentenced to a lifetime in Askaban. Lucius Malfoy, aged 48, passed away on the 6th of March, 2002, in prison without ever meeting his family after being arrested from the trial. He was unaware of Hermione's imprisonment in the Malfoy Manor or he would too, we are sure, have become a free man. It is during Hermione's capture, that it is believed that the taboo love between the Gryffindor Princess and the Bad Boy Malfoy came to blossom. It is also, assumed that it was for this imprisonment that Malfoy was apologizing._

_A friend of Hermione Granger, unwillingly to reveal his/her name, _commented, 'I don't think Draco Malfoy can be trusted, if he truly didn't bother about his father going to prison then I don't suppose he has changed like he toutes. I know that Hermione was missing but I didn't know why or where she wa-'__

Draco stopped reading and scoffed at the 'friend' who had no idea where his 'friend' Hermione had been. 'What a friend!'. He felt his exhilaration falter. He was sombre once again. Suspicion entered his mind. 'Twiddles, fetch me a bit of parchment and a quill.' He quickly scribbled a note in neat font and then posted it. He hoped he wouldn't have to wait too long for a reply. He didn't. Soon enough, the reply came. At first he thought the reply had been returned unanswered in anger. Then he noticed a scrawl added to the original.

_Malfoy, _

_Relax. I know. See you soon._

_Granger _

His fears had settled and his allowed himself a smile. 'Twiddles I have prior engagements for both lunch and dinner. Do not wait up. Also, I'm going to make a small trip to 's. Have my black suit ready before I return.'

'Yes master'

Everything should be fine.

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance, looking away from the expectant face of Ron Weasley in front of her. She could feel an oncoming headache which she couldn't afford: there was just too much to do. She looked back up at Ron and gestured him to follow her. All morning she had answered questions from the Weasley's regarding the article in the paper. She couldn't take it anymore. She knew they realised that it was a distortion of the truth; they only wanted to know how much of it was false. They were all spread between the kitchen and the living room and motioned for everyone to join her in the living room.

'May I have your attention, guys? Harry?' an unusual silence fell across the room. Ron was perched on a sofa arm. She started by looking at him and then glancing around the room, 'The article in Prophet is false. I did go for lunch with Malfoy but it was work-related.'

'Thought as much' Harry shrugged. He was the only one unperturbed by the whole business.

'And the lake?' Ron asked

'It was a break from work.' she told him, making up her mind to make the Prophet scant, 'Anyways, I think all of you should move to dress now. The guests should be here anytime. Ron, I need help in the garden.'

He nodded and they both made for the front door. Meanwhile, the rest of the family listened to her advice and headed to dress for the afternoon Luncheon. Hermione smiled as Ron made a complimentary gesture regarding the decoration. Together they worked on her problem, discussing last minute details regarding the wedding preparations. He, surprisingly already dressed in a monochrome sweater and black pants and Hermione yet had to pull on her dress.

'You think this is enough? What if it rains?' she asked Ron nervously

'It looks great Hermione. It isn't going to rain. Look at the weather. Plus, the anti-rain charms are up. Shouldn't be a problem. Go get dressed and I'll take care of everything else.'

She smiled at him appreciatively and nodded. He was right, it was a bright, sunny morning, with little chance of rain. However, with a weather like Britain's she couldn't be too sure. She headed upstairs to Ginny's room where her dress was stored till such time as she had to wear it. Before she could climb the third stair a brown owl, which she recognized to belong to Draco, swooped in with a folded note in it's beak. She unfolded it to find a neat letter addressed to her.

_Dear Granger,_

_Did you have a chance to look at the paper this morning? I'm sure you did. I assure you that I had nothing to do with it. My sincerest apologies._

Yours,

D Malfoy

She understood the purpose behind the letter. She grabbed the quill from the desk next to the staircase adding her reply to the bottom of the page and sent the owl of. She knew it wasn't his fault and he was still invited to the lunch. Taking two steps at a time, she entered Ginny's room. She closed it behind herself.

He had more than enough faith in Hermione to know that there were no hard feeling between them but he wasn't that sure of the rest of her adopted family. He arrived dot on time as inscribed on the cream invitation. He could see the Burrow in the distance but everything around it was eerily quiet. As he got closer, he could see a shimmering shield infront of him. He extracted the invitation and pushed it against the shield. It formed a small entrance. From there he could see the party. As he stepped inside, the entrance closed itself. It was clever spellwork that created the illusion of normalcy to those who weren't invited; meanwhile, hiding the true celebrations that had been occurring. No doubt, it was Granger's work. He liked the decoration a mighty lot. His mother would have appreciated the elegance. The was a small bar on the left of an enormous table, seating for as many as the dining table in the Manor provided for. The table cloth was white with a cream (with a hint of pink) runner in the centre running from one end to another. The table decor alternated between a crystal vase full of flowers, varying in colours from pink to white and everything in between, and subdued and pretty lanterns. A continuous flow of beverages in beautifully carved white trays was seen floating about. Tom, the barmen from the Leaky Cauldron was at the bar - a reminiscence of Harry's past. Draco saw people standing about talking and conversation like the snacks were in free flow. He noticed that no outsider was invited which puzzled him on his invitation. He wasn't that close to the family. Then he noticed that most of his batch mates from Hogwarts were present. He could see Parvati in her red dress and Lavender in her a garish sparkly pink outfit conversing with one another in one corner. They made quite a bright group. He looked around for the hosts.

In the far corner, he found Harry and his soon-to-be wife, Ginny. He walked over to them.

'Malfoy' Harry nodded with small smile extending his hand out while, Ginny finished conversing with, Draco was surprised to see, Luna Lovegood and a tall strapping lad. They were together. He thought he heard, Ginny address him as Rolf.

'Potter, Miss Weasley' he echoed, shaking Harry's hand and bowing to Ginny

'Call me Ginny, Mr Malfoy' she smiled after curtsying

'Not unless you call me Draco'

'Draco, it is' she laughed

'So how is it going Malfoy?'

'Better Potter, thanks. And you?'

'Great! Getting married to the love of my life! Couldn't be happier.' He responded causing his wife-to-be to blush.

'And you Draco? Are you with someone?' Ginny asked in polite interest.

Draco shook his head and laughed, adding with a suggestive twinkle in his eye, 'But you look simply stunning Ginny!' earning a blush from Ginny. She indeed looked great in a white dress with cutouts down the front. Her hair was pulled up in a casual but classic bun. Harry wrapped one arm around Ginny's waist.

'Too late Malfoy. I caught the snitch.' he smirked. He didn't look half as bad in his casual blue shirt, brown jacket and pocket square.

'Ahh, which reminds me Ginny that I'm waiting impatiently for the Harpies to play against Falcons. It'll be great to see their arse kicked.' This was the start of an intense Quidditch conversation that went on for about twenty minutes and soon attracted quite the crowd as people kept adding their opinion. Draco was surprised to find several people suddenly picking up conversations with him and taking his side. Everybody, it seemed, had matured.

'Harry!' a voice called out in the throng and although, it wasn't very loud, Draco found himself inexplicably drawn to it. He, unconsciously, tuned out Ernie Macmillan and stared hard into the crowd waiting for the source of the voice to appear. Out stepped, Hermione Granger in a blue dress with deep front and sheer blue fabric covering her arms and neck. She looked positively radiant. She walked over to Harry, informing him of something and then turned around to find Draco looking at her. He smiled as if his eyes hadn't been following her progress. She returned the smile and walked over.

'Malfoy! You made it! Hello Ernie' they had just finished their greetings when Harry announced that lunch had been served. The seats were labelled and soon everyone was digging into a widespread selection of dishes that was at par with Hogwarts. There were almost ten different kinds of salads, six main courses, eight side dishes, nine kinds of cheese, five desserts and fourteen kinds of beverages each matched with the diner's selection of food. The plates refilled themselves as did the classes. There was lovely conversation and Draco was seated next to people who didn't judge him to his face. He quite enjoyed his time.

He couldn't stop stealing glances at Hermione who sat a little left on the opposite side. Her laugh was melodic and her eyes sparkled. He didn't realise that Hermione couldn't help herself from looking at him every few minutes. He looked dashing in a shirt, checked sweater and jacket: deliciously casual. Once the meal ended, slowly the crowd dwindled to only those who were invited to the bachelor and bachelorette parties, also surprisingly to which Draco was invited. They sat around for tea and the opening of presents.

At last, the wizarding ceremony of 'Half a spell' was begun. It was a short ceremony where both the bride and the groom had to cast patronuses which were then merged held together. If the couple had patronuses that were against one another like a rabbit and a wolf - the marriage couldn't happen. It was an old practise and most people didn't believe in it. Ginny's patronus was a horse and Harry's a stag. They got along well and the ceremony was a success. Then everybody got ready for the evening parties and left.

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><p>http: BattlerRune  helping-draco-luncheon-and-bachelor-party /

Use this link to see images of the Luncheon and Bachelor(ette) parties. - Remove the spaces to complete the link

**hilda-gatita - Voila! Thanks for the review :) Enjoy xox**

**Guest on Love or Hate (ch 26) - Thank you so much, your review meant alot :) Keep reading xoxo**


	28. Party On My Mind

**Chapter 28: Party On My Mind**

hilda-gatita - You guessed correctly! :D We shall see how they match in time. I won't keep you waiting long! Thanks for the review xox

loivissa17 - Why thank you! Oh work will come later, after two days of partying. They work too hard anyways. Thanks for reviewing! :D

Reviews appreciated my dear fellows! :)

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><p>Draco had never produced a patronus. He wasn't happy enough. Amongst the Death Eaters, it wasn't a problem. Neither of them could produce one either. But, here, on the other side of war, all of them, apart from him could, could produce a patronus. Funnily enough, Harry Potter had been their teacher. Once, one of his death eater friends had tried to produce a patronus as a dare. Maggots emerging from the wand had consumed most of him before anybody could react. He was alive but with less body parts he would have liked. Draco remembered it quite vividly and so he himself had no desire to try. He mused about when he would get married and would be required to produce a patronus. But then what of other death eaters at their wedding? It all seemed quite complicated.<p>

'Whatchu starinh hat Ferret?' Ron slurred.

In his trance Draco hadn't realise that he was looking at a spot on Ron for a while. He shook his head at him and took a swing of his drink in hand. It was Harry's bachelor party and he still couldn't fathom why he had been invited. It was nice, however, to be out of the house for once; to be amongst people his age. He was sitting next to Neville Longbottom who had long since forgiven him for his behaviour. He was grateful.

They were in sort of Wizarding pub which was themed Quidditch. There were drinks and strippers and fantasy Quidditch. They had played for a while; forgotten that they were grown men and once arch enemies. For that moment they had only been players who loved the game. Now, they were sitting around too drunk to care. Except Draco, who seemed to handle is drinks better than the others.

'Soooww Malfoii, how dichit feel to looooosee' asked drunken Harry.

Malfoy just rolled his eyes in response. 'If you can't handle your drink Potter, don't drink' he suggested

'Oh Loosen up you!' Neville advised him and he nodded in response, taking another swing. The drink scorched his throat. He wondered what Hermione was doing. _'Wait, did I really just think that?' _He unknowingly blushed. Seemingly the drink was getting to him; he could no longer control his feelings.

The others noticed. 'Aw eenniee weenie ferret is blushing. Whazzup? Who'z the ladyy ferret?' Dean questioned him.

'None of your business, Dean' but of course friends of Harry were not known to mind their own businesses...ever. So they continued to pester him and he continued to oblige them with his stare and insults. They just wouldn't stand down.

'Malfoy and his love, sitting on a tre-' Ron started making a kissing face. If Ron had any idea who Malfoy had thought of when he blushed, he would have killed him.

'I wonder what Ginny is doing…' Wonder boy, Harry wondered aloud.

'Oh yuss, we should go seee' Neville said, 'Maybe I can finally tell Hannah how I feel.' He added as an afterthought.

Draco knew another person who couldn't control his feelings. He smirked at Neville. 'Ickle Nevikins also in love?'

George laughed. The conversation continued and soon the drunken group proceeded to crash the bachelorette party.

Hermione laughed as she noticed Luna's moves. Luna grinned back.

'This is so fun!' She yelled over to Ginny opposite her.

The music was really loud. 'I told you Hermione. Thank god you had those drinks. Look at you now! So freeee', then she twirled, 'We'll do this again at your bachelorette!' Hermione gave Ginny a horrified look. She couldn't tell what horrified Hermione the most: the thought of them coming clubbing or her wedding. 'Fine then, at Luna's wedding!'

Luna didn't hear them as they laughed pleasantly at the thought. She was going strong with a man called Rolf Scamander. Pleasant fellow. Luna jerked forward and Parvati joined her in the ridiculous step. Soon the whole bachelorette party (a.n: as in group not celebration) was doing the step and giggling- including Hermione, Ginny, Padma, Parvati, Angelina, Gabrielle, Lavender, Fleur, Hannah, Opha and Aadella, and a couple of other girls from Ginny's team . They were in a club, in the Muggle Street of Diagon Alley. Clubbing was a muggle concept and it was relatively new to the Wizarding population but they had taken to it like a moth to a flame.

A blonde boy approached Hermione and he reminded her slightly of Draco. They'd been here a while and she had a couple of drinks, so forgoing all her inhibitions she raised her hands and danced with the man as he came close to her. He wasn't dancing, merely smirking at her inebriated state. She started hard, blinking to clear her vision, still moving her body as sexily as she could manage. She slowed her vision was clearing. 'Oh' she managed as she jerked her head straight. It was Draco Malfoy. She looked around to find that Harry, George, Neville, Ron and the rest of the Bachelor party had joined them. She blushed slightly at being caught doing the sexy dance with technically her boss.

A tray floated by and Draco grabbed two drinks and offered her one, raising an eyebrow as if challenging her to drink. She took it, gulping it down. He did the same with his own. Soon they were competing at who could have more drinks. Hermione was on her fourth when she put it down halfway, admitting defeat. Draco finished his fifth and raised his hands and bowed. He was laughing, and smiling as if he had won an award. She opened her mouth to say something, suddenly clamping it shut and fleeing the scene. Draco saw her demeanor change and followed her to where he saw her duck into the washroom. He entered to find her bent over the sink. He walked over to her and rubbed circles in back, helping her hold her hair out of the way.

When she was done and washed up she stared up at him and said, 'It's a girl's washroom Draco!'

His heart fluttered when she said his name. 'So?' He added nonchalantly, wrapping his hands on her waist and guiding her out, 'Let's get you home Hermione. You have work to do tomorrow.' She nodded. They bid goodbye to those who chose to stay. However, like them, most people called it a night including the bride and groom. Draco then took her home.


	29. The Wedding

**Chapter 29 - The Wedding**

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><p><em>Morning had been quite interesting to say the least. Hermione had woken up in her bed to the screeching of her alarm with no idea <strong>how<strong> she got there. Last thing she remembered included the bad decision to take another drink. Her head was positively swimming. The hangover was ridiculous. Her body ached; she had a foul taste in her mouth and even very little noise sounded quite loud to her. Hence, she had blasted her alarm apart. She wanted to go back to sleep but her better sense (unlike, last night) prevailed. She was the Maid Of Honour. Work needed to be done. She showered and donned some comfortable clothes. When she entered the kitchen, she found a note- **Thanks for letting me stay, Granger. However, I had the sense to evacuate the place before you came to your senses and blasted me apart for being in your apartment. 'My precious' as they say (or in my case 'your precious'). I shall be sending Twiddles along with some potions to help with the hangover. Till later - Draco. **_

_SHE HAD INVITED HIM TO STAY? WHEN? True to word, Twiddles arrived with some very helpful potions and it was then, that she noticed her sofa which looked like some had slept upon it. She had dutifully drunk the potions, thanked the elf, set her home straight and gone to The Burrow. There she dealt with security, that had been so kindly provided for by the ministry, the caterers who were working in Luna's new catering business and the decoration which was a product of her and Ron's hardwork. Everything was home made as Harry had wanted._

_She was grossly exhausted of course but thanks to Draco, her hangover was all gone. So, a couple of timely-taken pepper up potions added to that she had felt sprightly and ready to take on the world. Gone was the exhaustion and she was ready to make the wedding a success. The 'biggest' wedding of the century; the wedding of the 'Chosen One' - pun intented. _

'Hermione, what are you doing?' Ginny interrupted her trance in which she had accidentally ended up staring at, outside the window, a particularly egoistical arse, who was now liberally throwing winks at her in five minute intervals. At one point he even made the kissing face.

'Oh I wasn't looking at him! I was thinking and…' she answered Ginny, giving the idiot a commendable death glare.

'I wasn't talking about that.' She looked over at Ginny following her eyes in the direction of her own arm. She had been following the trace on her arm: _Mudblood._

'Ginny,' she started but when she looked back at Ginny, she changed her statement, 'you look stunning!'

She received a huge grin from the bride. Ginny's hair had been tied into a romantic chignon behind her with a few intentionally done, careless and loose tendrils resting around her face. It was elegant and beautiful. The hairdresser looked at them pleased that Hermione appreciated her handiwork. She had been working on Ginny's hair for an hour while Hermione stared out of the window at the wedding preparations below, till she had inevitably fallen into deep thought. Hermione, who had been running around the whole morning arranging everything had been given an hour off to be with Ginny.

'It's time you wore 'ze dress, non?' Fleur's voice floated in as she entered the room in a yellow chiffon floor-length dress. Fleur had been responsible for arranging the bridesmaids and their dresses and she had worked magic. All off the bridesmaid's looked similar yet so different, it was spectacular. Fleur herself was a bridesmaid and for herself she had chosen yellow. Her golden hair had been pulled up into a sexy half up do: a carefully constructed messy bouffant with the rest of her hair falling over her shoulder like waves. The dress itself was ruched, then cinching at the waist. Hermione marveled at Fleur's sense of style, noticing the dress train behind her as she glided in.

'Yeah, Ginny, let's get you into that dress. Hermione levitated the mass on the bed that contained Ginny's wedding dress. It was a long process in which Ginny screamed and shouted several times as she stepped into the dress and pulled it up. The various parts were arranged to the bride's liking and then the hairdresser put the veil into place. She clapped in delight as she stepped away to look at her handiwork.

'Bewtiful' Fleur said in her accent. Ginny beamed. She twirled for her audience.

'Girls, time to go…' Molly Weasley trailed off as she saw her only daughter in her wedding dress. Her eyes teared. Ginny Weasley had been her only girl, not only in seven children, but also in the several generations of Weasley. She was her last child, and she had prayed with all her might that she be blessed with a girl. She was blessed and Ginevra came into her life on the 11th of August.

'Oh my dear child,' Molly pulled Ginny into a hug, trying to keep her tears at bay. Ginny, too, looked a teary eyed. Hermione watched the interaction between mother and child. She couldn't help but feel a little odd. Ginny was Ginny. She lived in the Burrow. She was her best friend. She rarely cried and she always had a crush on Harry Potter. She had missed Ginny when she had been away. Everything had built up in her chest with no one to tell. It was strange to see the young woman who stood before her; the woman who had been the seeker for the Holyhead Harpies since after the war. Hermione had watched every match - every single one of them even if she understood nothing. She had planned to stay away from every one but she couldn't do it when it came to Ginny. She just couldn't. The woman in front of her had grown beyond her age because of the war and today; she was going to married to her other best friend.

Her dress spread around her elegantly. Almost as if Ginny were enveloped by soft white clouds. The white shimmered - unlike it's duller muggle counterpart- this wizard white was bright and pure. The wedding was to be held in the last light of day; around 4 and as they would decend into darkness - the dinner would be served. Hermione couldn't wait.

Fleur sniffed breaking up the party.

'You look breath taking Ginny. I love you.' Ginny gave Hermione a watery grin.

'I love you too Hermione.'

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><p>Harry was looking dazzling a black suit that enhanced his green eyes. He wore it with a white shirt and a black bowtie and huge smile. For the first time in years after the war, Harry looked relaxed and happy. Truly happy. Hermione gave him a watery smile as she walked through the aisle with the bridesmaids. She was wearing a sleeveless purple chiffon dress with pleating on the sides, ending at her waist. The dress flowed nicely and she wore it with a golden cuff and earrings. She was followed by Luna in pistachio green (how very Luna), the Orpha in grey, then Adella in soft pink and Fleur in yellow. When the bridesmaids had passed, Fleur's daughter, Victoire, and Teddy Lupin marched in together as the flower girl and the ring bearer respectively. At last, the music began - it was all live of course- Ginny walked down the aisle. The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur. They said their vows and held hands and as they kissed, the whole area was showered with roses. The last light of the sun threw rays at them, surrounding them with a halo of light. Hermione looked her two bestfriends. They were happy<p>

_Harry and Ginny are real soul mates. They're both very strong and very passionate. That's their connection, and they're remarkable together._

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><p>The whole area till where a moment ago, the aisle stood tranformed into a seating arrangement. It was a huge transformation from when the light shone and everyone gasped. Harry on the other hand looked for a pair of chocolate brown eyes and broke into a huge smile. Before the sun had set, the whole decoration had been done in white with highlights of red - the aisle had been paved with red roses, the seating was all white, the wedding arch had been covered with light white fabric that glittered as the angles of the sun rays changed. As the sun descended into darkness, the decor changed to red with white highlights - lamps appeared along with a tables covered in red cloth and rustic white plates and silverware. Wild red flowers were also arranged on the table. On a single table on the left a huge 5-tier cake decorated the table. It was decorated with white icing on one side and edible red roses on the other. It looked heavenly. Everyone gathered to cut the cake. Hermione felt movement on her right.<p>

'You look lovely' Draco Malfoy told her watching the newly wed couple come together for the cake cutting

'You clean up well too' she replied smiling at her two bestfriends, 'Thank you. I wouldn't have survived the potions...and also, for getting me home safely.'

'And you'

'For what?'

'Allowing me to stay'

'About that...why exactly did I invite you to stay?'

'I might've slightly inebrieted myself. I may have splinched myself getting to your house. No longer trusted myself to mumble correctly into the floo either.'

She gasped, 'I hope it wasn't anything too serious.'

'Nah, I'm fine now'

'Oh good' she finished lamely. Suddenly, Hermione couldn't think of a single thing to say. So, silence ensued betweent them as they watched the cake being cut and the champagne bottle being opened. They stared at each other from the corner of their eyes. There was definitely something between them.

Once of twice, both Hermione and Draco might've thought about their own weddings and banished the thoughts- horrified. The cake was lovely and so was the dinner. It all ended quite quickly but there was another day to look forward to and two certain people from the wedding party were looking forward to the next day for entirely different reasons.

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><p>Decor and dresses - http: BattlerRune harry- weds- ginny- helping- draco/ (as usual - remove the spaces to view.)


	30. The Reception

**_Ladies and gentlemen, I have reason to be apologetic. It has been brought to my notice that chapter 18 of Helping Draco is followed by chapter 20, which has been uploaded twice, and chapter 19 is not available hindering your reading experience. My disorganisation has resulted in me not possessing a saved copy of chapter 19 and I have had to write it again. This of course has been done and since no update is provided when chapters are replaced I have no choice but to hope you all will check to find the mistake corrected. _**

**_Also, I am terribly sorry because I couldn't update this chapter till I had finished writing Chapter 19 leading to a serious delay in ending the wedding. **_I am really sorry about inconvenience. _**_**

**_Thank you all for your support and understanding._**

**_Lots of love,_**

**_Battler Rune_**

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><p><span><strong><em>Chapter 30: The Reception<em>**

Harry and Ginny spent a pleasant night together as husband and wife. The next morning, a huge spread in the magazine and newspaper, that had been chosen to cover the wedding, featured the wedding of the decade. Of course The Quibbler got its own special privileges which allowed it to not only cover the wedding but other functions as well. Moreover they got an exclusive interview with the 'chosen one of the Chosen One' and the Chosen One himself. Lastly they got to talk to the Maid of Honor and the Best Man and were allowed to photograph the process of setting up for the wedding. Needless to say the sales of The Quibbler had never been higher.

Hermione had worked plenty hard for the wedding as Harry's family and it was nice as they got to sit back and watch the Weasley family arrange the reception of their youngest family member. Molly being the expert had left no stone unturned so, it was no surprise when Hermione was left breathless as she entered the Great Hall. She noticed all of Harry and Ginny's favourite dishes at Hogwarts had been prepared and displayed on one end of the hall. Funnily enough, Hary Potter themed food was also on display with cupcakes with Harry's famous scar as the decoration and the Deathly Hallows shaped pancakes. It was all there. Mrs Weasley had outdone herself. However, the thing that begged for her attention was the cake which formed the masterpiece of the dinner table. It was huge and it was Hogwarts themed. There were little Hogwarts students flying around the Quidditch pitch including the unmistakable red-haired Ginny Weasley. Even the forbidden forest had been included and so was Mr Weasley's which Ford Angelina lumbering around the edge of the forest. Harry was depicted like Ginny on his broom flying away from an extremely detailed all-cake version of the Hungarian Horntail. It took Hermione forever to notice all the details on the cake like Sirius Black and Buckbeak on the roof or Dumbledore conversing with Prof McGonagall. Her favourite detail of all was Harry's parents who one could see if they paid attention in the small scaled Mirror of Erised.

An area had been left open for dancing for which the Frog Choir of Hogwarts' new batch had been called on to perform. All of the kids were chuffed to bits on having been invited to perform at Harry Potter's wedding reception. It was as usual conducted by Professor Flitwick who was unusually excited: having been reunited with all of his former students; the special ones who he went to war with on his side.

Even more delighted than him was Professor McGonagall who had long since become the Headmistress. And even Professor Sprout was glad to see all her students especially Neville (who was planning to join Hogwarts as a Herbology professor after his internship at a specialised nursery for medicinal plants). The new Slytherin House Head was unknown to everyone but he seemed like a rather nice (too nice) American gentleman.

'Hermione have you seen Harry?' Molly asked her, her eyes searching the completely packed Great Hall.

'I'm sorry Molly, I haven't but I'm sure he's around.' she replied in negative but an idea struck her when she wondered where her best friend was. She excused herself from the charming company of an auror friend of Harry's and exited the hall. Traveling up the staircase, her feet carried her to the familiar destination of the the Headmaster's office. The gargoyles that blocked the entrance stepped aside to let her through as she provided the password from earlier in the evening when she had visited the office.

'Harry?' she pushed the door open. He was leaning against the table facing the direction of the two headmasters that meant the most to him. He smiled at her.

'Hey Hermione -' he replied softly turning his gaze back to the portraits.

'I thought I might find you here.' she walked up the steps to him, 'Good Evening Professors' she said looking towards the immortalized versions of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape.

'Good evening Miss Granger' Dumbledore replied to her, smiling as he peered through his half moon spectacles.

'Miss Granger can you get Mr Potter here to stop looking at me like a lovesick puppy. My being dead has not changed the fact that I do not appreciate his insolence. I am still a professor.'

'The one and only' Hermione murmured, grinning at the professor's unchanged personality, 'Harry, Mrs Weasley is looking for you.'

Harry sighed. 'I'll be down in a bit.'

Hermione looked at him and then looked around the office, 'I miss Hogwarts'

'Yeah me too.'

'Are you happy Harry?'

'Very...but I miss this nonetheless'

'True' she sighed and joined him in leaning against the desk.

'They sound and behave exactly like their real life versions but...'

'But they can't carry a conversation like them?'

'Yeah'

'Of course we can't Potter. Are you daft? I can see being famous has gone to your head.' Professor Snape snapped, earning a cheeky grin from Harry.

'Now, now Severus - I know you're pleased to see Harry.' Dumbledore prodded his companion

'These portraits, Harry, have been taught to behave and act exactly like the person. However they are what they are - merely portraits.' Hermione explained to her bestfriend.

'Oh'

'Of course you'd know all this if you'd read _Hogwarts: A History_.' she told him in mock condescension; turning to him and following it with a grin of her own.

'Ehh, what's the use Hermione. You've read it and that equals me reading it.' He winked at her meriting a smack on his head.

'Ow Hermione. Stop being friends with Malfoy. Now, that he's not available for you to hit; you're taking it out on your poor best friend.'

'Ha Ha Harry' she rolled his eyes at him, fighting off a blush, 'I'm going down. I'll see you in...?'

'10? Say Hermione, did you just blush when I mentioned Malfoy?'

'Er no.' she lied

'Sure.' He smiled deviously, 'Hermione has a crush on Malfoy.' He laughed.

'Ugh, Potter. Leave. That's my godson you're talking about. So much like your father...' Snape continued berating Harry while, Hermione decided she was going to take her leave.

'Love you Harry. Good day Professors' she said faintly

'Bye Hermione! Professor, Malfoy being your godson doesn't...' Harry called out.

She heard a faint 'You too Miss Granger' from Dumbledore in the commotion before she closed the door with a click, blocking out the argument between Snape and Harry.

* * *

><p>Hermione was tired of dancing and talking and smiling. The reception had been wonderful and fun and still going on but she wanted to be alone for a bit. To fully absorb the fact that she was back in Hogwarts; she was home. She was sitting with her legs spread out infront of her as brushed her feet repeatedly against the grass. She was enjoying the the feeling of grass between the toes which provided a slight relief from the pain of having worn high heels and danced. Her hands were flat against the ground behind her: supporting her sitting position. She stared off into the distance beyond the lake. Occasionally, an octopus tentacle break through the surface of the water and obscure her vision. She would shift her gaze to where the action was occurring, watching unthinkingly at the ripples that disturbed the smooth surface of water and then slowly disappeared. She had been siting there for almost twenty minutes when a voice startled her from behind.<p>

'Funny finding you here..'

She started and flipped her face around to the intruder. Her neck emitted a small creak from her turning to fast. 'Ow' she moved her hand to her neck, massaging the tendons. 'You scared me. I almost got a whiplash.'

'Sorry.' Draco Malfoy looked at her apologetically as he settled down beside her. She folded her legs beneath her.

'How come you're out here?' he asked her, nestling into the cove of the tree behind him and resting his arms above his head.

'I could ask you the same thing.'

He raised an eyebrow at her. 'It was becoming awkward in there for me. The last time I was here I was trying to get Boy Wonder killed.'

'Just wanted some peace. You weren't...ever _trying_ to get Harry killed. I remember.'

'Perhaps.' he murmured. A comfortable silence set in between them. A few minutes later, Draco shifted his eyes to Hermione who's back was to him and opened his mouth to ask her something. He changed his mind. Shaking his head clear of the question, he turned his gaze back to the view infront of him. If only things could be forgotten by shaking one's head. The question lingered in his mind and he almost asked her but refrained. It wasn't like she was going to tell him.

He heard her sigh, 'What is it?' she asked.

His shock reflected in his voice, 'How..?'

'I can feel your eyes, Draco. What is it?'

He paused contemplating and then slowly raised his question, 'Where did you go Hermione? That day?'

Her back stiffened. He was surprised he noticed her subtle reaction to the question because technically there was no sound or movement that anyone who was not paying as much attention as him could have seen. She didn't say anything for a minute or so. Instead, she got onto her feet and walked closer to the edge of the water, dipping her toe in momentarily. Then she turned around and stared at the castle behind Draco, talking to him but not looking at him directly.

'I was Harry Potter's best friend and a muggle born. It was like hitting two birds with one stone. I had to do something about it. So, I sent them away. I put a memory charm on them and sent them away.'

'Them who?' Draco asked softly, confused at her outburst.

'My parents.'

A chill traveled down Draco's spine.

'I made them forget me. And themselves. I gave them a new name, a new address and sent them away before the Death Eaters could find them.' she croaked.

Muggles didn't understand. No one who had not seen the full effect of a memory charm ever understood. A memory charm was detrimental not only in its effects and results but also, it was a spell that defied all logic. It physically wiped the memory clean. It was like deleting a hard drive. Except that it wasn't. It was like erasing the words on a chalk board where although the words are all gone, the remnants of the chalk are all there. The memory is there, it is only sent in so deep into the brain that it is impossible to get it back. A memory spell never harms anyone when deleting small information but what Hermione had done was remove the very reason and result of the existence of her parents.

'You went to find them?'

'Yes'

'What happened?'

At that moment Hermione broke into sobs. Tears slipped down her cheeks at an alarming rate. Draco shot up and pulled Hermione into a hug.

'shshshh, it's going to be fine. I promise.'

In her mind, Hermione was going to hold on to that promise.

* * *

><p><strong>Reception Photos - Mr and Mrs Potter - BattlerRune reception-mrmrspotter- helping-draco/**

(remove the spaces for the correct link)


	31. Moving On

**Chapter 31 - Moving On**

Hermione tucked her shirt into her pencil skirt. Then, she put on her favourite Healer robes of the whole lot. True that all the robes were of the same colour; and they all had the hospital's logo on them. The only difference was in the cuts and the shape of the robe and this particular one Hermione was wearing, she found to be more flattering than the others. She felt extra special. In fact, an all-morning desire to dress up nicely (for reasons unknown) had made her switch from her usual muggle trousers and worn blouse to a nice skirt that she wanted to wear but was too lazy to and a lovely shirt that Ginny had gifted her after she came back and joined the hospital.

She slipped on some pumps instead of her go to flat shoes and brushed her hair one last time. When it was time to eat, it occurred to her that she didn't have the appetite for anything more that one slice of buttered bread and half a cup of chamomile tea. There was an odd fluttering in her stomach which her experience as a Healer and doctor told her that it wasn't related to her health.

The wedding had been a huge success and last night, they all had bid adieu to the Golden Couple who had set off to Paris for their honeymoon. Hermione was exhausted from all the social requirements and so she planned to take it easy and concentrate on her work the next few weeks.

Alas, fate had other things in mind. When she finally stepped into her office at quarter to eight, Draco was already there. The events of last night when she had unravelled before him into a weeping mess caused her to blush deep red.

'Healer Draco, good morning. How can I help you?' she asked placing her bag on the desk.

'Ah, good morning Healer Hermione, yes well Potter left me some information yesterday that I'm here to share with you and then we can process on Seamus' case.'

Her heart fluttered when he said her name but she controlled her feelings and by the time, Draco finished talking, she was much more serious than she had been coming in.

'Yes, before all that, Draco, I think Seamus has stopped fighting. His vitals are still normal but they are inching into a dangerous territory. I haven't been able to confirm it though.'

'Yes, I noticed this in your report and that's why at the risk of upsetting the groom, I asked Potter to tell me more about why my father is still alive.' He grimaced.

Hermione thought it was best to ignore the part about his father and continue, 'Harry wouldn't be upset by this. Must be glad you asked. Anyway, what did he say?'

'Well, it's good news actually. Seems my father's life did prove of some help. He said he couldn't give me the details because he was afraid someone might hear him so he arranged us to be due down at the Ministry today. Someone will be there to answer the questions.'

'Brilliant. When do we leave?'

'After lunch? I still have some patients to oversee.'

'Yes me too. Okay then, I'll see you at the main floo at half past one.'

'Great. See you'

Hermione watched his receding, hoping with all her might that the ministry official had something good to tell them.

* * *

><p>Kingsley extracted his locked folder. Upon opening it, the first thing he saw was the letter from Harry Potter that he had received almost two weeks ago.<p>

_Dear Minister of Magic,_

_It is with great pleasure that I inform you that Project X is finally up to the initial stages of trial. After much hard work and failure, it is good enough to be used as a basis on which we can only improve._

_However, before we proceed further, I have an important suggestion to make. As to the pleasure of the Wizarding World, Miss Hermione Granger has returned unscathed from her sabbatical. Her absence was sorely missed and had she been around I would have preferred her involvement in the Project. It is after much consideration that I request you to allow Miss Granger and her Co worker (s/o Lucius Malfoy - Head of Project X), Draco Malfoy to be involved in the betterment of the result of this project._

_It is my belief that both Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy have shown exceptional skill in the use and understanding of magic and their skills would be invaluable in making our Project a huge success._

_I do hold your views in high regard and hope that you shall consider such an involvement favourable to the outcome of our joint venture._

_Looking forward to a positive response,_

_Yours Truly,_

_Harry Potter_

_(Auror)_

His response had almost pleased Harry. After all, the entire project was Harry's idea. The boy had made valid suggestions in the past.

_Dear Mr Potter,_

_It is my pleasure to inform you that after much consideration, I have accepted your request to involve Miss Granger in the ongoing project. I understand that her skills may indeed provide us with answers and solutions where one had not thought to exist before._

_It however concerns me to involve an ex-Death Eater and the son of the father who the world considers dead. Mr Malfoy has shown some exceptional understanding and courage in the face of adversity. He has, no doubt, continued to be a model citizen of the the Wizarding World. Nonetheless, considering his past record, it poses an unmistakable threat to involve him in a project of such secrecy. It is my belief that people should be allowed a second chance especially ones such as Mr Malfoy who had been so obviously mislead from a very early age. Yet, I cannot be as foolhardy as to allow someone who can so easily mislead (at little fault of his own) in a matter that concerns the welfare of the Wizarding World at large._

_If you do have any valid arguments that you may be able to provide, please feel free to write to me. Till such a time, please accept my apologies on being unable to allow the involvement of Mr Malfoy and my heartiest congratulations on your engagement to Miss Weasley._

_Regards,_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_(Minister of Magic)_

Kingsley moved Harry's first letter out of the way to see his second letter, which he knew at that time that he was going to get. Harry Potter is knot known to give up. Funnily enough, if anyone were to read the letters: they would have no idea what Project X was. Secondly, the letters didn't give away the fact that Harry and Kingsley were on first name basis and that Kingsley regularly went to Harry's house for dinner. They never discussed work as a rule at home. Never. And they never discussed private life at work. Ever. And so if Harry wanted a reply to his letter, he would have to wait till Kingsley wrote the reply and sent it. Even if they had dinner on Thursday night, the week before and met for lunch in the morning when Kingsley sent the letter. This was hostility as work or merriment in privacy never got in the way of each other. Not that Harry and Kingsley were ever hostile to each other. They got along too well.

_Dear Minister of Magic,_

_Your response did not disappoint me in the least. Your allowance of Miss Granger's into the project was fortunate indeed. I had of course expected your initial hesitation regarding Mr Malfoy and it would be rather worrying if you didn't._

_Sir, I agree with you on second chances and I have offered Mr Malfoy one for myself and may I tell you that he hasn't disappointed me. I have spent quite a while in his company and hostilities that had lasted from our school days are long gone. It is why I agreed to stand on his side during his trial. It is also why I today request you to reconsider his appointment in the team._

_Mr Malfoy is as extraordinary with his wand skills as perhaps Miss Granger, if not less. It is as they say,- ' two heads are better than one'. Since, his father, Lucius Malfoy is the head of the project, it can be believed that Draco Malfoy has inherited his prowess with the wand._

_I, sir, know the effect of second chances better than anyone: My godfather, Sirius Black who was arrested for the murder of Peter Pettigrew turned out to be innocent. There doesn't go a day where I am glad I had allowed him to tell me the truth that day instead of blasting him apart on the spot. I take the responsibility of Mr Malfoy's credibility and involvement. May it be on my head. Also, he will of course be delivered through the strongest Unbreakable Vow. I believe him to be a better human being than his father and if Lucius Malfoy has not caused trouble, it is unlikely that his son will._

_It would be easier for you to decide if you met him so I have been in contact with your secretary to set up a meeting both with Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy. I feel that what they have to tell you will indeed change your mind._

_Hope it all goes well,_

_Thanking you,_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_

_(Auror)_

Kingsley would have liked to call it Harry's insolence : setting up a meeting without asking but he knew Harry too well. He meant business. Kingsley lifted the second letter of the desk and read through the fifteen legal pages that were beneath them. These pages contained the Unbreakable Vow that had to be delivered. The wizarding world had a legal team create unbreakable vows like contract so that no clause may be left out. Everyone on Project X had taken the Vow, Kingsley too. Now he would see whether he trusted Malfoy Jr enough to involve him and let him take the Vow. What did the two healers have to tell him. He was curious. So he waited.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: 1) <strong>**I don't know what is wrong; the story just doesn't upload with the name of the hospital in it. All that appears is 's.**

**2)I recently noticed that I had been added to a Community and also, realised that we don't get alerts for such an addition. I don't mind being added to the community but I'd like to keep a track of where all my story is available. I request you all to inform me if you do add me to a certain community. This will be much appreciated. Also, to whoever added me to my first community - thanks :) lots of love.**

**Thanks to all of you for all your love and support. I shall be replying to all of your messages and reviews soon enough. Please be patient with me. Hope you enjoyed. Lots of love, Battler Rune.**


	32. Decisions

_**Chapter 32 : Decisions**_

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><p>Draco and Hermione had arrived at the Ministry at precisely 1:35. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, someone was waiting on the other end for them. Tight lipped about every topic after having greeted them, she (a small woman in deep blue Ministry robes, led them through a complex route walking shockingly fast for someone so small. Hermione and Draco forgot the number of times they turned corners, and changed lifts, turning it all into one giant Alice in Wonderland-type of adventure. At 1:47, she stopped in front of two huge double doors and rapped on them three times. At exactly 1:50 they were ushered inside the doors by the small women. Then the doors shut off behind them.<p>

Another woman, with grey hair, a kind face and purple robes appeared infront of them. They were, in what looked like, an antechamber. Plush green sofas lined walls on either sides and straight ahead were another set of doors. To the right of the door, there was a single desk which assumingly belonged to the woman infront of them.

'Welcome to the office of the Minister of Magic.' she smiled at the wide-eyed new entrants, 'Please take a seat. The Minister will be with you shortly.'

'The Minister of Magic?! We're being briefed by the Minister of Magic?!' Draco furiously whispered as the secretary turned her back to them.

'Yeah, that's what it looks like. Wow, Harry didn't tell me this.' she whispered back. They both sat down on one side, bewildered. The room was tastefully decorated and there were large windows behind the sofas that let in natural light.

'The Minister will see you now.'

At 2:00, they entered the chambers of the Minister of Magic.

* * *

><p>Kingsley finished his meeting with the Italian Minister of Magic trying to make sure that the whole of the Wizarding World stood together to avoid the Great War again. His job was hard and exhausting, no doubt, but making a difference to the world excited him and pleased him to no end.<p>

'Sir, Mr Malfoy and Ms Granger have arrived.' his PA informed him.

'Send them in.' He told her and then took a deep breathe as a short preparation of what was to come.

The two of then - Draco and Hermione, he noted were both young, accomplished and (as they walked in) very good looking.

'Welcome Mr Malfoy, Ms Granger. I hope getting here was no trouble.'

'Not at all. Thanks you for meeting us, sir.' Draco shook his hand.

'Yes, Thank you Minister,' Hermione smiled, 'A bit of a surprise though. We didn't know that we were going to be meeting you.'

'I'm not surprised. Your meeting me was a surprise for me too.' He grinned, 'Please have a seat.'

When they were all settled, Kingsley continued, 'So Harry tells me, you both have something interesting to tell.'

'It's a case that we have at the hospital...' Draco began. When all the details from Hermione and Draco's part we're shared, tea arrived. It had been an hour. The lady who was obviously the Minister's PA poured out the tea in the cups.

'Sir?' she looked at Draco.

'Just plain thank you. Also, a little bit of milk and no sugar for her. Thanks.'

Of course this did not go unnoticed by Kingsley who was realising what Harry was talking about. The relationship between the two individuals siting before him were more different than he had anticipated. There were also plenty of similarities between the hours. They chatted pleasantly about things other than the official matter till the tea was being served. After, Miss Bennett left ( as they came to learn her name was), they continued where they had left off.

'Harry wad right in thinking that what you had would interest me. In fact, it's possibly a fantastic opportunity for us to mutually benefit from each other's help. However before we do that, you have to be delivered under the Unbreakable Vow. It's all very hush hush, for good reason too.'

They were shocked to say for good measure - Hermione and Draco, that is. The Unbreakable Vow was no child's play. It was serious business the breaking of which could lead to an all final death. This wasn't like when Hermione's spell had spelt out Sneak across Marietta Edgcombe's face. This was actual death.

'Of course you'll have time to think about it. Rest assured this all up to you two or one of you. Whichever and whatever you both decide.'

'Yes Minister, I think both Hermione and I,' Draco spoke up, glancing at Hermione who nodded, 'would like an opportunity to think about it.'

'I agree with him. Just one thing that I wanted to clarify, this information you have will help Seamus? Right?'

'Yes I believe it will. However, if you both not to be a part of this, we will be employing other Healers to take care of Mr Finnigan. Be at peace. Your decision will not harm him.'

'That's good to hear.' Draco replied.

'Yes Mr Malfoy, I would like to have given you unlimited amount of time but taking into consideration Mr Finnigan's deteriorating health, at most I can wait till tomorrow for you answers.'

'Tomorrow will be fine, sir.'

'Great, I will see you both tomorrow at the same time. Good day Mr Malfoy and Ms Granger, I do hope your replies will be favourable. You will make excellent additions to this cause.' Kingsley told them.

They thanked him and then parted.

* * *

><p>'What do you think?' Draco asked Hermione. They were in the Diagon Alley, walking around. It was evening now and their meeting at the Ministry had lasted till quite late. They had gone back to the hospital deciding to meet later on to discuss the prospects. It was around six and Hermione had suggested they get coffee. They were on their way to the coffeeshop.<p>

'My mind is in two ways. I really want to know what this is all about but the Unbreakable Vow is major responsibility.'

'Same here. But you're like a child of war. That Vow is not really that difficult to take is it? Not harder than anything else we've been through.'

'Yeah, there's that.'

'What is it, Hermione? There's another reason isn't there?'

'Not particularly' she mumbled, stopping in front of a bookshop, admiring the facade.

'But...?'

'Nothing. It's nothing. Look at that book, looks interesting.'

'Is that your way of changing subjects?' He frowned at her.

'Nooo'

'It's a terrible way. You're terrible at this. You know we're eventually going to have to make a decision so you might as well tell me now.'

'It's my reason. Kingsley said it was fine to make separate decisions.'

'I'm saying it's not okay.'

'What does that mean?'

'I'm either doing this with you or not at all.'

'You can't do that. You're a Healer. Your involvement could help heal Seamus'. It's your job.'

'As it is yours, Hermione. He's your friend.'

'I know and I feel terrible for even thinking against all of this but I just...I just..'

'Just?' Draco prodded

'I want my life to less crazy you know? More quiet and less...less..uhm'

'Eventful'

'Yes, it's been crazy so far and I'd just like it to be normal for a bit.'

'Would you be able to take it?'

'Take what?'

'A normal life.' He said and she looked at him like he was crazy. 'You're Hermione bloody Granger. You couldn't evn stay away from Boy Wonder and his deadly problems. You could have run away. You could have hidden with your family - someplace safe. You could have hidden until the war was over. What did toy do instead? You obliviated your parents and set off on a life threatening adventure with the most unsafe company on the earth. Would you be able to sit back and hope that Seamus is okay again?'

Hermione didn't respond but by the look on her face, Draco didn't need one. She turned to back to look at the bookshop. But she wasn't seeing anything. She was thinking. Draco knew her answer and subsequently his. They only had to wait to tell the concerned person. Tomorrow.

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><p><strong>author's Note: <strong>

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	33. Surprise

**Chapter 33 - Surprise. **

**A very Happy Birthday to our favourite ex-death eater and the very hot Draco Malfoy. Here's a Birthday Special. **

* * *

><p>'Let's go!'<p>

'Go where?'

'Home'

'That's what I was doing. Are you implying that you're coming with me?

'No silly, you're coming with me. '

'Where?'

'I just told you...Home. Grab my hand.' Hermione held out her hand to a sceptical, Draco Malfoy. He eyed her hand suspiciously. She grinned and wiggled her hand, asking him to hurry. Her wand was out and as soon he took her hand, they apparated. He felt the familiar tug on his nape and he was squeezed through imaginary circles and landed with a crack in front of a semi familiar apartment.

'Are we at your apartment Hermione?' Draco asked when it all started coming to him.

'Yep' she pulled him up the stairs. He cursed for forgetting to disengage when they landed so his hand was still in hers and he was being pulled up six flights of stairs.

'Hermione, slow down. I'm exhausted and hungry. What is this about?' He yelled behind her.

'No time. We're late. I'll give you food! Just come.'

'Late?! For what? Hermione Granger I want you to tell me what's going on right now.'

They came to a stop in front of her front door. She inserted her keys in and pushed the door open. It slowly swung open. It was pitch black inside. Draco looked at her and then into her house with one raised eyebrow. She smiled and pulled him in...again.

'Hermione stop doi-' his exclamation was interrupted halfway when suddenly the lights came on and people pounced onto him.

'SURPRISE!' They all yelled.

'GAHHH' Draco responded, shocked and his wand pointing at Harry's face.

Hermione let out a delighted laugh. 'Put the wand Draco. That's not polite.' she put her hand on his wand arm and pushed it down. 'How do you like it?'

'Like what? A bunch of people yelling at me?' He replied with a look of incredulity.

She laughed again. 'It's your birthday celebration silly.'

'Birthday?' He repeated stupidly.

'Yes Happy Birthday mate.' Harry spoke up and shook his arm.

'Happy Birthday Draco.' Ginny said from behind Harry and soon, the whole lot wished him - including Molly, George and Angelina, Ron, Arthur and a couple of people from the hospital, like his assistant Howard. And even Blaise Zabini and Dean Thomas.

'Neville wanted to come but he couldn't take a leave at such a short notice.' Hermione came to him when everybody was done wishing him.

'You did this?' He asked her looking around at the magically enlarged apartment at the people who had collected to celebrate his birthday. She nodded. The people had now moved on to eat dinner which had been laid out in the kitchen. Hermione and Draco were alone in the living room.

'Twiddles!' They weren't completely alone, as Draco had originally thought.

'Happy Birthday Master Draco'

'Thank you Twiddles'

'Dinner is laid, sir'

'Go on ahead Twiddles. We'll be along soon.'

Twiddles padded out of the room, leaving them on their own once more. The two watched the elf's receeding back. Draco turned to face Hermione's profile.

'How did you...?'

'Know it was your birthday?' she completed his sentence, 'Harry told me. He also told me you don't usually celebrate it. And from what he said, it did seem that you mourn it. But not this year. I won't let you. So I called everyone to come and celebrate your birth.'

'Why?'

'Because Draco. You're not a bad person and you've got to stop thinking that.' Hermione brushed her fingers on his cheek, 'Stop punishing yourself Draco. Come celebrate.' Both their hearts fluttered, unknown to the other. She dropped her hand to her side, 'You still have to cut the cake.'

Then she started towards the kitchen. At the door, she stopped and turned around. 'Happy Birthday Draco. I'm really glad you were born.' she said softly.

And just like that Draco Malfoy was forgiven by Hermione Granger. In his later years, he would claim that it was his best birthday ever. However for that moment he savoured the remnant feeling of her touch and the kindness of her words. Inside him, unbeknownst to him, he walls began to crumble. What he realised though was that he was he falling...for Hermione Granger.

* * *

>Twitter - BattlerRune<p><p> 


	34. 30something

**Chapter 34 - 30somethings**

**I'm back! This is getting really complex. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

><p>He held on to her hand. His grip was strong. Hermione squeezed his hand reassuringly but it didn't look like he felt it. He gave her no response. Moments later, the metal door lifted slowly. It would have made for a dramatic scene in a movie but to them it was nerve-wrecking.<p>

'Yesterday, I had the best birthday – heck, best day – ever. So if I have a heart attack right about now I want to say thank you.' Draco said with a nervous laugh, looking straight ahead. She smiled, placing her other hand on top of their intertwined hands.

The grey door stopped when it reached the ceiling. A deafening clang reverberated through the corridor. Draco turned paler. The young Ministry officer on their right gestured for them to proceed. They started down the corridor. The turned right with the corridor. A group of young officers appeared straight ahead. They remained stoic and unmoving till Hermione and Draco were three feet away. Then, they parted. Draco's breathe hitched as grey met grey. Hermione too was startled. They stopped in their tracks. It appeared to be a standoff as they stared astounded at Lucius Malfoy.

'Father' a whisper escaped Draco's lips. He sounded like he was chocking on something. Hermione loosened his grip on his hand and moved her left hand back to her side. She didn't think he would notice. But, he did. He tightened his grip on her hand, took a deep breath and marched forward. His sudden movement alarmed Hermione and she unwillingly accompanied him because she had no choice. He was pulling her along. Draco stopped right in front of his father and held out his other hand.

'Mr. Malfoy, still alive and kicking, eh?' he said nonchalantly.

'Indeed. It's not that easy to be rid of me.' He shook his son's hand. If he was surprised by his son's change of demeanor and lack of acknowledgement of his father, he didn't show.

'Unfortunately' he replied, 'Mr Malfoy, I'm sure you'd recognize, Miss Granger here.' He gestured towards Hermione.

Lucius' eyes travelled to Hermione's face and then down to her hand…in Draco's. 'Ah of course, Miss Granger: it so nice to see you. I see you've come back from the dead.' He said in a silky sweet voice, referring to her disappearing act.

'Mr Malfoy,' she nodded, 'As have you.'

'Quite right' he replied, 'Now, if you'd both follow me.' He turned around and started leading the way. The Officers around him too walked beside him. Hermione looked up at Draco, trying to take back her hand because she was uncomfortable with the fact that Lucius had seen them. But Draco looked right ahead, ignoring Hermione's attempts to take her hand back. If he wanted to hold her hand, he would. So he did.

Lucius led them into a large laboratory sort of area. It looked just like a muggle lab except for the wands and the cloaks and the magic. There were about half a dozen workers bustling about the room purposefully. Hermione and Draco however had no idea what the 'purpose' was.

'This is where we work on Project X' he said loudly gesturing to the room.

'What are you working on Mr Malfoy?' Hermione questioned, unable to pry her eyes away from a certain glowing spell in the centre of the room.

'I hope you're aware of the MPS, Miss Granger: the Ma-'

'She knows; she's the one who told me.' Draco answered for her, cutting his father short. 'What's it got to do with this?'

'Once the Great War started, not only did the MPS start breaking away – it also allowed the dark spells to be more dangerous than they are. So we are trying to restore the MPS.'

'How?' Hermione spoke up, her voice laced with curiosity.

'The same way it was first made. The right combination of spells that are required to create the MPS that is strong enough to withhold should any such war occur again.'

'What's the problem?'

'Under the…dark lord…they meant for the MPS to be broken so that the Death Eaters would become twice as powerful. So, unfortunately all the data that was used to create the MPS was destroyed during the war and so we had to start over. We have to find the right combination of magic and spells. Moreover, the MPS has been infected. Hence, the MPS depletes daily. To start repairing the MPS, we need to reverse the dark magic cast during the war but we don't have a big enough power source.'

'How does this help Seamus?' Draco asked, thoroughly confused.

'If we remove the infection from the MPS, the dark magic will weaken…'

'Allowing us to remove the dark magic within Seamus' body.' Hermione slowly finished Lucius' sentence, brightening up considerably.

'But he has a Fiendfyre egg inside him Hermione. Weakening the dark magic does nothing to help us.'

'It does. Think about it, we haven't been even able to touch Seamus or cast any kind of fixing curse on him because the dark magic on him is too strong. It keeps the effects from our spells from actually occurring. Once, the dark magic is weakened, we can reverse its effect; maybe even touch Seamus and extract the eggs and then treat him for Sectumsempra.

'So where do we start?' Draco asked them.

Lucius made a disgusted face on having to admit failure 'We are working on it but we don't know yet for sure how to reverse the dark magic.'

'But we do.' Draco responded

'We do?'

'Yes Hermione. You solved this one weeks ago. 'Who did it?' Remember?' He continued when Hermione didn't catch on. 'You've got to find out who did it.'

'Their wands Mr Malfoy; you need to assess their wands.' Hermione had caught on. They were going to solve this. The same thought crossed both of their minds and they smiled, albeit unconsciously, towards one another.

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><p><strong>Twitter: BattlerRune<strong>

**Reviewerz: **

**Loivissa17 - Thank you! Hope you liked this one too! Did you enjoy the wedding? :D Gossip at work? Harry and Ginny or Draco and Hermione? xoxo**

**hilda-gatita - and more loveee btween the two. ugh they make me feel lonely haha. Pace okay? Should I make it faster? Slower? xoxo (P.S. Best birthday ever or what? :P)**

**yourloved - aww Thanks love! Hope you liked this one! xoxo**

**Guest - Kiss? So far, I don't think they're aware of their feelings but don't despair, it shall all happen soon. xoxo**

**FandomsUnite98 - Ikr haha. Hope you liked this chapter and their subtle emotions! xoxo**

**MissNerdyGirl12 - Aw, will do! xoxo**

**Sorry for the delay in updating! Keep reading! Love you all!**

**xoxo**

**BattlerRune**

**(p.s if you have any questions/ requests - pls do tell me on twitter! I am more accessible there than here!)**


	35. Getting Closer

**Chapter 35 - Getting Closer**

**p.s - _Italics is for thoughts _& non-italics is (within ' ') is for normal audible conversations.**

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><p>'These are all the wands mam. 'nything else I can help you with...mam?'<p>

'No, thank you very much though.' Hermione answered the guard examining the collection of wands in front of her.

The guard stayed put, forcing her to look up at him questioningly.

'You can go now, thank you' Draco told the guard as he walked in.

'Can't sire, gotta stay put with the wands. Orders from above, sire - 'Never let 'em outta sight!' Can't 'ave 'nother breakout can we.'

'I understand but we really can't have you listening in either. This is sensitive information.' Hermione reasoned.

'Fair 'nuff mam but orders are orders. Can't help you there.'

'Let's just talk later then, Hermione. Just finish the basic analysis first. I've got the wandmakers here. Best ones working for...Lucius' he spat out the name.

'No one was ever as good as Mr. Ollivander!' A voice from behind them piped in.

They turned to find a familiar face, with jet black eyes and green eyes, grinning back at them. He was flanked on one side with an older but recognizable man who Hermione hadn't seen in that day in the Shell cottage and Draco hadn't seen since he was rescued by Boy Wonder. Draco's special Hermione-is-here smile turned into the uggh-Boy-Wonder grimace.

'Harry!' Hermione squealed, 'What are you doing here?'

'Heard you needed an expert wandmaker so the best in the business had to be brought in, Mr Ollivander.'

'How are you, dear?' Mr Ollivander asked, eyes twinkling. He reminded of Dumbledore. After all, was quite the wizard with wands!

'I'm fine, sir. It's lovely to see you again! All well I hope?' she gushed

'As well as one can be at this age!'

'Oh bugger off!' Draco said under his breathe, annoyed, 'Potter, can we get this over with already.'

'Always a beacon of joy, this Malfoy.' Harry laughed and, from the corner of his eye, Draco noticed the old wandmaker stiffen at his name.

'Yes, we can always catch up later. Show me, dear' Mr Ollivander replied, less happy, extending his hand to Hermione. She took it and led him to the wand collection.

In his slow manner, the old man hobbled over to the wands as if possessed by their beauty. He brushed his hands against them slowly picking them up one by and caressing them. He spoke under his breathe as if soothing a sick patient, mumbling, now and then, the details of his analysis to the other wandmakers standing around him who then quickly scribbled the information down. They all stood around and watched Ollivander wield his magic. Occassionally, Draco would hear snippet of information and he wondered what the guard thought of all this. He wondered if he would later go and relay this incident, over a cup of tea, to his fellows. Then again, Potter was smarter than he gave him credit and would probably obliviate the guard right after. Draco's eyes then shifted Hermione's small form next to Potter's. She stood as mesmerized as the rest of them, her soft, pink lips puckered in; her head tilting; and her doe eyes following Ollivander's every move. Draco felt a slight tug on the strings of his heart which astounded him. He moved his gaze away just in time to see the old man finish.

'I'm done here, Harry'

'Thank you so much, Sir.' Harry replied gratefully extending his hand towards the old man for support. 'Should I drop you home now?'

'Yes, thank you Harry. Hermione, dear, stay in touch.'

'Of course sir. Thank you so much for your help. Harry, I'll see you soon.' she received a peck on a cheek from her best friend which further earned a slight look of distaste from Malfoy Jr.

'No worries.' Mr Ollivander gave Draco an imperceptible nod and doddered on. His fan following of other wandmakers followed him out hoping to get a word or two before the legend escaped. Only Hermione and Draco stayed behind...and of course the guard.

The room was round with brown grey walls, no windows and two exits- one which the troupe just used to leave and the other behind them that the guard was blocking. The room was dull, drab and slightly menacing but Draco couldn't understand why he still felt like staying.

'That was kind of easy.' Hermione said looking away from the door.

'Our work has just begun.'

'Hmm, you're right. Thank you for your cooperation. We're done.' she told the guard.

'Thank you mam, sire. Good day.'

Together, Hermione and Draco, exited the room.

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><p>They hadn't realized how dark it was in the room till the arrived in the more open areas with windows. It was bright and they had to squint part of the way till their eyes got accustomed to the light. Draco unthinkingly slipped his hand into Hermione's: it felt more natural that way. If he was stunned by his own boldness; it was nothing compared to shock he got when Hermione leaned into his touch and began chatting as if nothing significant had occurred. He, of course, didn't hear half of what she said, so distracted by the warmth and softness of the small hand in his. When later he felt aware of his inattentiveness, he knew it didn't matter because she only talked that much when she was thinking aloud; not looking for responses. He felt a flutter in his chest when he made this observation; he had started noticing little things about her.<p>

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><p>Hermione didn't notice his hand in hers, or his gaze on her face till she absentmindedly tripped on her own feet. She stumbled only to find herself leaning into Draco's arm hold around her waist. She recognized his warmth there and then in her hands; almost choking on her own spit to find her hand in his. Her heart fluttered. He was looking at her.<p>

'Are you okay?'

'Y..ye..yes' she blushed at his closeness which she hoped he took to be a result of her embarrassing almost-fall.

'Be careful.' He helped her steady herself; pulling out his hand from hers. She immediately missed it and then, blushed at this realization. Chastising herself for feeling like a school girl in the presence of a superstar she almost didn't notice him hold the door open for her. When she noticed, she quickly slid through. '_UGH! FOCUS HERMIONE! What is wrong with you?!'_

They had arrived at the entrance of the Ministry at which point their inner voices had begun screaming like Harry's godfather's banshee mum.

'Let's get some lunch, eh?' Dracos asked. _'Let's go get some lunch, eh? What the bloody hell Draco?! How pathetically crude! Anyway, I hope she says yes; p__lease say yes; please say yes; please say yes!'_

_Yes, I'd love to _'Yeah' she offered intelligently. _'YEAH? WHAT THE-! UGH HERMIONEEEE'_

'_Take a deep breathe. Ask her properly this time.'_'Right, fish and chips?' '_YOU BLUBBERING MORON! GOD DAMMIT!'_

'Sure.' '_OMG__ I hope you rot in hell Hermione BLEEDING Granger'_

They took their incoherent selves down for lunch at a shack in front of the Ministry.

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><p><strong>More later *evil laugh* They are 'getting closer' in more ways than one ;)<strong>

**Anyway, how's it going y'all?**

**xoxo**

**BattlerRune**


	36. It's Time

**Chapter 36- It's Time**

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><p>So this is what you meant<p>

When you said that you were spent

And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit

Right to the top

Don't hold back

Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain-check

'I don't ever wanna let you down, I don't ever wanna leave this town' Draco started singing as he looked through his menu.

A surprised Hermione looked up at him, 'You know this song?'

'Yes, it's my favourite song.'

'Mine too! It's my favourite band.'

'Same here! Mother took me for one of their concerts - music, dragons and all that jazz. I was hooked. Been my favourite ever since.'

'I heard them the day I sent my parents to Australia. It's my only solace. Reminds me of them.' Hermione's gaze fell and her eyes moistened.

'It's going to be alright.' Draco gave her a reassuring look and when she looked straight into the eyes, for a moment everything stopped.

Then, suddenly Draco started singing along- 'So this is where you fell

And I am left to sell

The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell

Right to the top

Don't look back

Turning to rags and giving the commodities a rain-check'

Hermione couldn't help but smile. Encouraged by her smile, he sang louder, smiling and shaking his head. 'I don't ever wanna let you down

I don't ever wanna leave this town

'Cause after all

This city never sleeps at night

And this time she couldn't help but join him: the song was really catchy - 'It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am

In their little cocoon, they sang together even though people were looking - 'It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am'

And a couple of people, seeing the two of them singing together, had joined in - 'This road never looked so lonely

This house doesn't burn down slowly

To ashes, to ashes'

It seemed like everybody in the pub had begun to sing especially the people at the bar. They were singing on top of their lungs - 'It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am

It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was

Don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am.'

When the song ended, both, Hermione and Draco were grinning at each other like idiots. Hermione felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest and Draco felt happy for the first time, after a long time.

The waiter came over and smiled in a strained fashion, 'Ready to order yet?'

Both of them looked over at each other and laughed unabashedly.

I'll take a prawn curry, please and Hermione?

'Grilled chicken, thank you.'

'Right, that'll be one prawn curry and one grilled chicken. Anything to drink?'

'No thank you' Hermione said.

'We'll have two hot chocolates after the meal please.' Draco corrected her.

Hermione smiled.

'So neither of us ended up having fish and chips, eh?' Draco started making Hermione laugh.

The next couple of days passed in the hectic flurry of work for both Hermione and Draco. More often than not, they would take work to one of their places, working till late in the night trying to solve the case and trying to find a way to successfully rebuild the MPS.

They both grew closer and found a new friendship in one another. All his life, Draco had never once had a true friend with absolutely no ulterior motives. His friends were always more interested in his surname and in getting on good terms with his family than knowing who he was. In Hermione, he found a confidante and a partner.

Hermione, on the other hand, had always had many friends. However, in Draco she found a special understanding and camaraderie that she hadn't ever felt before. He was an equal in every way. She was, without realising, becoming used to his presence. He was her comfort zone. He was like Chinese food, pyjamas and wine on a cold winter night. For Draco, Hermione was the rush of air and the flutter of freedom when he was on his broom. She was the warmth of a fireplace in a chilly room. She was the nostalgia of rereading his favourite book.

- TWO MONTHS LATER -

'Hermione!'

'I'm here! Sorry hon.' she entered the kitchen, flushed and excited. Her hands were full and she dumped everything on the counter.

'Here, I made you tea.' He handed her the cup.

'Have I told you, that I love you?' she laughed.

'I love you too, now can you hurry up?' Draco said, smiling but rushing her along.

She smiled.

And that was that.


End file.
